‘Umwiherero’ Leadership plan for an aid free future

The sixth annual National Leadership Conference, ‘Umwiherero’ kicked off yesterday. President Paul Kagame is chairing the five-day Kivu Serena retreat being held under the theme, ‘Beyond Aid: Mindset for Delivery and Development.’ In his opening speech, yesterday, President Kagame, focused on the urgent need to rise above the culture of mediocrity by breaking from the status quo to end Rwanda’s dependency on foreign aid. An appropriate position for discussion, by the over 200 delegates, as it resonates with the mood on the ground here in Rwanda and on the African continent. Citizens are continuing to count the cost of aid on their livelihoods, questioning why when so much money is poured into the continent, African countries still lag behind, languishing in poverty.