By Edwin Ashimwe

   Kagame, who got 99 per cent of the votes in the July elections, thanked Rwandans for renewing his presidency and giving him “the privilege to serve our country.” “Our focus now returns to the future,” he said in his inaugural address.

   “For the last thirty years, our country has been a good work-in-progress. This new mandate means the beginning of even more hard work. “Why not do even better than we have done? That expectation to keep improving is not a dream, it is realistic. We can do it, and we will do it.”

   “Throughout our campaign here, it was always humbling to hear the slogan ‘Ni wowe,’ meaning “It’s you,” Kagame told the tens of thousands of people who attended his inauguration at Amahoro Stadium. “But, in reality, it is not me alone, ni mwebwe, ni twese -it’s all of us.”

   He said that with the hundreds of thousands of Rwandans who showed up to his rallies, the electoral campaign was “a period of joy and satisfaction for all of us.”

   “That reality is undeniable. It stems from the spirit of togetherness among Rwandans and shared determination to own our future,” said Kagame, who swore to consolidate national unity, among other constitutional duties.

   “This is exactly what we have been working for all these years. Rather than leaving behind new divisions to be healed, our political process is designed to renew and deepen our unity,” he noted.

   Kagame said Rwandans managed to accomplish more than what was expected in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed more than one million lives. “Our tragic past ignited a fire in each one of us, the fire of hope, resilience, and justice,” said the man who led the liberation struggle, which stopped the Genocide.

   “From security to health, infrastructure, and jobs for youth, we are taking responsibility for our challenges and offering solutions. That is the mindset that brings us closer together and creates positive change over time for everyone.”

   Kagame noted that the African continent is home to some of the world’s most ancient civilizations and its youthful population has the capacity to drive its development. “Our youth are energetic, innovative, and bold, and they are not afraid to change the status quo for the better, by demanding more of ourselves and from each other.”