Experienced politicians like Tito Rutaremara and parliamentarian Christine Muhongayire are among officials that will deliver modules at the new Pan African Leadership center that was recently launched to equip university students with Pan African values.
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Housed at the Kigali Independent University (ULK), the center will deliver lectures twice a week, and is open for both students and non-students who are interested in enrolling for the program.
According to the Pan African Movement (PAM) Rwanda chapter, the center is expected to expand to other higher learning institutions in future.
On Friday, May 20, lecture modules for the program were launched; featuring topics like history, geopolitics, and leadership, among others. They will be taught to the participants who include Rwandans and people from other African countries who have already enrolled.
In a media interview, Protais Musoni, the Chairperson of PAM Rwanda chapter, talked about the importance of the program.
"We want to have young people who understand Pan Africanism and have a dream that is in line with the Africa we want,” he said.
"We have started it from here (at ULK), but we will take it to more institutions. As young people, students have time to read, discuss, and even research,” he added.
Joyeuse Uwineza, a first year student at ULK, who is among those who enrolled for the program said she expects it to increase her knowledge about the importance of being African.
"I hope it will add knowledge to me in relation to loving who I am as a Rwandan and an African. As I understand the meaning of being an African, I hope I can explain it to those who don’t understand it well,” she said.
Gaspard Nzabahimana, the head of the PAM at ULK, noted that the program can be an important step in encouraging students to play a role in fighting for their rights as Africans in terms of economic and political independence, for example.