Addressing thousands of citizens and other dignitaries who gathered at Amahoro Stadium to witness the momentous occasion, the Head of State began by thanking Rwandans for granting him another term to continue his development agenda.
'The electoral campaign was a period of joy and satisfaction for all of us. Millions attended rallies, and almost everyone went to vote,' President Kagame commended Rwandans.
He noted that much has been achieved over the past 30 years, surpassing expectations.
'Over the past three decades, what Rwandans have managed to accomplish is even more than we expected. Indeed, it is beyond what words can describe, given where we started from,' Kagame said amid chants of jubilations with more than 20 Heads of State in attendance.
Recounting Rwanda's rise from the ashes of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, President Kagame revealed that the new term presented another opportunity to achieve even more.
'Our tragic past ignited a fire in each one of us: a fire of hope, resilience, and justice. This is who we have become as Rwandans,' he noted.
'Our focus now returns to the future. For the last thirty years, our country has been good work-in-progress. This new mandate means the beginning of even more hard work.'
He affirmed that with exemplary leadership and collaborations, no goal is beyond reach and all aspirations are achievable.
'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,' President Kagame added.
Kagame, who led the Rwandan Patriotic Army to liberate Rwanda from the Genocidal regime of Juvénal Habyarimana in 1994, was re-elected with 99.18% of the votes cast in the July elections.
He ran against two competitors: Dr. Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, who got 0.50% of the vote, and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, who managed only 0.32%.
In the coming days, the newly elected Parliament is expected to take oath and begin its term before which the President will later present his appointed cabinet for approval.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
