While campaigning in Nyamasheke District, RPF-Inkotanyi flagbearer and incumbent President Paul Kagame warned against any foreign attempts to destabilize Rwanda’s security, reiterating his position that the country does not ask permission to protect itself from anyone. ALSO READ: Kagame to Nyamagabe residents: Choose security, unity, development He was speaking before thousands of residents of Nyamasheke District who gathered at Kagano playground where RPF and its allies from eight political parties continued their campaign trail to canvass votes ahead of next month’s general elections. In the presidential elections set for July 14-15, Kagame will compete with former lawmaker Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate. ALSO READ: Kagame: We will always do what is necessary to ensure Rwandans are safe, no matter what In his address, Kagame reflected back on the time when militias from neighbouring DR Congo attempted to lure Nyamasheke residents into destabilizing the country, all in vain. Nyamasheke is one of the districts that suffered from attacks – in 2018 and 2019 – carried out by the MRCD-FLN terror outfit. The terrorist group ambushed three passenger service vehicles inside Nyungwe forest, killing several people and injuring others. Kagame noted that even now, there are still people in neighboring countries who still insist that they want to help Rwandans to ‘carry out a coup’, and even brag saying they can do it from where they are. “I told them that because Rwanda is geographically small, we will not wait for them to find us and fight us here. “We don’t want to harm country’s development. We will find them in their big country and fight them there. “I also told them that we don’t ask for permission to protect our country.” The President emphasized that security is the most important thing, as the rest is built on that foundation. Last month, DR Congo’s minister of defence Guy Kabombo repeated President Felix Tshisekedi’s threats to attack Rwanda. In a post on X, Kabombo said on Tuesday that Tshisekedi had given “guidance” on the operations of the Congolese army, including “the annexation of Rwanda”. Kagame has, on numerous occasions in the past, explained how the security crisis in eastern DR Congo poses a threat to Rwanda due to the continued collaboration between the Congolese army and the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The FDLR was formed by the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, is at the heart of the insecurity affecting eastern DR Congo and threatening to spread into the region. ALSO READ: UN report exposes DR Congo’s continued use of FDLR as proxy The genocidal forces fled to the then Zaire, now DR Congo, in July 1994. From there, with the support of their external backers, the genocidal militia vowed to reorganize and return to complete the genocide. From their safe haven in DR Congo, they conducted hundreds of cross-border terrorist attacks inside Rwanda over the next five years, targeting genocide survivors and other Rwandans who refused to follow them into exile, claiming thousands more lives. RPF’s ideological orientation still building national unity The incumbent President also emphasised that RPF’s ideological orientation aims to build national unity and leave no room for any form of discrimination, whether religious or ethnic. “You have the right to be whoever you want to be as long as it doesn’t affect other people’s security; those who are different from you. “Once you understand that Ndi Umunyarwanda mindset, you are able to proceed to developing the country’s economy.” He stated that over the next mandate, RPF seeks to continue promoting modern agriculture, entrepreneurship, industries, education, an improved healthcare system, and infrastructure development. “We need to speed up in this development journey, and it is possible. Nothing is impossible when there is security, good governance, hard work and collaboration.” ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Nyamasheke youth, elderly to Kagame: You are our choice Sandrine Senga, a 25-year-old resident of Nyamasheke District, explained how she started on a journey of modern tomato farming and grew from producing 50 kilos to three tons per season. Her produce has been able to satisfy the district and she started selling to neighbouring districts and across the border to DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville. Her vision now is to set up a tomato processing plant in the district.
