Rwandans today, July 15, 2024, head to the polls to decide their next leader, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, and parliamentarians who will lead alongside him for the next term. The decisions we make today as Rwandans will determine the direction of our country for the next five years and shape the future upon which we can achieve prosperity. The individual that Rwandans decide to be their Head of State will be a key leader in steering the pace at which Rwandans will achieve the much-desired transformation in all facets of the country’s life. The decision you make will shape how fast Rwandans will get access to electricity, how those still living in poverty will get themselves up, how the country will generate jobs for those who long for them, sustain peace and security, and enable the country to usher into the middle-income and higher-income country. The past leadership has already laid a good foundation that we can build on going forward. The Vision 2020 and implementation programmes such as EDPRS 1 & 2 have transformed the country to where it is. That leadership under the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) has also set the Vision 2050 that is expected to completely transform the country. That vision is a clear blueprint for how Rwanda will become a competitive nation with global influence. The two other presidential candidates, Phillipe Mpayimana, who is running independently, and Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, have made their pledges. However, the power lies in the hands of Rwandans to choose who their leader will be based on their assessment of those promises. Voting is a civic duty. We can expect Rwandans to turn up in big numbers as has been the case throughout the last three weeks of the campaign rallies where the candidates have been criss-crossing the country. For young people, you have shown that you care so much about how this country is governed. Voting, therefore, is another step to own the next process. Rwanda’s politics is unique. No one expects any violence during this process as we see elsewhere, especially in those countries that preach democracy. More than ever, we have learnt from these countries that divisive politics is something that Rwandans will never embrace.
