He shared these remarks while opening the 20th National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano) this Thursday at the Kigali Convention Centre.
President Kagame stated that this forum continues to be a catalyst for development, as the discussions and resolutions made help the country progress. He noted that the dialogue is of great value to the nation, occurring regularly, and that each session yields decisions that propel the country toward further achievements.
President Kagame described Umushyikirano as a platform intended to remind everyone of their responsibilities. He said: “This National Dialogue is meant to ensure that from all the discussions we will have, and from the history of this council and our country, we take away lessons that remind us of what we ought to be doing—including mobilizing everyone’s efforts and uniting them to develop the country.”
He emphasized that leaders must take responsibility so that, when the time comes, they can be held accountable for their actions. He said: “This involves taking responsibility, especially for leaders, so that regarding what we do and what we are expected to deliver to those we lead, we can be held accountable when the time comes.
We should be asked: ‘You accepted these responsibilities, and we know what they require. You were given specific resources for the benefit of all Rwandans; how did you manage them? How did you use those resources? Did you take them for yourself, or did you use them in a way that reached the intended beneficiaries?'”
President Kagame stated that being held accountable for one’s duties—and, if necessary, paying the price for poor performance as a leader—is something that should not be avoided. He said: “We must never bypass that, not even for a single day.”
He continued: “Being held accountable for our responsibilities, explaining our actions, and if necessary, paying for them when we cannot justify how resources were used for the public good. This often happens, and sometimes the wrongdoings go unnoticed; however, wherever they are identified, a person must be held accountable and should indeed be punished.”
