He made the remarks on Saturday, November 8, 2025, during a gala marking the conclusion of the 18th Unity Club Intwararumuri Forum in Kigali. The Unity Club Intwararumuri, founded by First Lady Jeannette Kagame, brings together current and former government leaders and their spouses to promote unity, peace, and development in Rwanda.
The Head of State said that while Rwanda continues to engage diplomatically with its neighbours, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some of the agreements reached contain elements of dishonesty. Nonetheless, he stressed that Rwanda remains guided by firm principles.
'Those agreements contain a lot of dishonesty. In everything we do, say, and in how we live with others or even fight with others, we drew the line long ago. Meaning, anything that threatens Rwanda, we will not tolerate,' Kagame said.
He underscored that Rwanda's determination to safeguard its existence and sovereignty is non-negotiable.
'Our desire to live, to have our own life, is something we either live for or die for,' he said.
President Kagame also urged Rwandans to embrace self-reliance and reject dependency, emphasising that development and dignity are achieved through collective effort and resilience.
"As leaders gathered here, if there is someone who thinks that anyone from the outside will come to save us, you are mistaken. As the saying goes, it is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog. The question, what is the fight in the dog? What is within us that will allow us to face the challenges of our country?" he posed.
He noted that Rwanda's progress has been shaped by visionary leadership and citizen participation but challenged leaders present to continuously evaluate their personal contribution to national development.
"To ensure things continue to improve, you cannot become complacent because of the progress we have made and only be a beneficiary of the work others have done. Make sure you are not just carried along by others but that you are truly part of it, playing your role and making your contribution. That is essential and there is no way around it," President Kagame added.
Turning to the African continent, President Kagame questioned why many countries have failed to make significant socio-economic progress despite decades of independence.
'Africa, where were we 50 or 60 years ago? Looking back, it seems we are still almost in the same place as we were then,' he observed, adding that the continent must confront the internal factors holding it back.
'This problem within us must be solved, or we should openly admit that perhaps we are under some kind of curse, because pretending we are fine while remaining stagnant will not take us forward,' he said.
He further wondered why African nations accept poverty and hardship despite having the capacity and opportunities to transform their economies.
During the same event, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe said Africa's underdevelopment is largely rooted in poor governance and a mindset that normalizes dependency.
Former Minister Charles Murigande pointed to leadership failures, saying some leaders pursue self-enrichment rather than service to their people.
'A true leader is supposed to eat last but we have leaders who eat alone and leave nothing for anyone else,' Murigande said.
Father Consolateur attributed part of Africa's challenges to the lingering effects of colonialism, which instilled a belief in inferiority among Africans.
'They destroyed us, uprooted us completely, and we agreed to it,' he said.
Minister of Internal Security, Dr. Vincent Biruta, emphasised that true transformation will only come when African nations commit to self-reliance and break free from external dependency.
IGIHE
