Kagame narrated that while still living in exile, he regularly visited Rwanda and it was on one such visits that he came face to face with a scary military guard but managed to pull off a narrow escape by pretending to read a book on the street.
'I occasionally visited Rwanda to check on some relatives. I think it was three times; in 1977, 1978 and 1979. My relative Claver Muyango, a former Director General at the Ministry of Health who used to live in Kiyovu hosted me,' he recalled.
One day he went for a walk in the neighborhood and met a soldier who continuously called him out but Kagame pretended to read a book he was holding and ignored the soldier's signals.
'The more he called me, the more I pretended to concentrate on the book until he started walking towards me. When he got close to me, I was a bit afraid and ran away sneaking through the neighbouring houses until I reached home. I even never told the people at home what had happened,' he said
The Head of State was speaking on his second last day of the presidential campaign in Bumbogo Sector, Gasabo District where he thanked the residents for their hard work and efforts in the collective development of the country.
'I have not come to ask you for votes, I have just come to thank you for your unwavering support and participation in the achievements we have registered so far,' he told the supporters.
He spoke strongly against the discrimination exhibited by previous regimes that condemned its nationals (even those who were in the country) to live as refugees.
Kagame castigated critics who trade the narrative that having peaceful campaigns and elections is an indicator of a lack of democracy.
'In other countries, there is usually chaos and fighting during such times of campaigns. Even in this here people would display hate to the extent of killing each. And that's what the call democracy?' he wondered.
During the campaign, several people praised RPF for its leading role in ensuring the forward trajectory of the country's development agenda.
Two of the speakers who shared their thoughts include Dr Yvan Butera and Irere Claudette the State Ministers of Health and Education respectively. They are proud to call themselves the PK generation.
As the campaigns draw closer to the end, the RPF candidate will visit the people of Gahanga in Kicukiro district tomorrow July 13, 2024.
The general elections are slated for Monday, July 15, 2024.
Sam K Nkurunziza
