He made the remarks while addressing participants at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, organised by the Rwanda Leaders Fellowship, at the Kigali Convention Centre. The President attended the event after laying a wreath at the National Heroes Memorial in Remera.
President Kagame noted that the designation of a day dedicated to celebrating and commemorating national heroes reflects the difficult experiences the country has endured, experiences that required extraordinary courage.
'Why Heroes' Day?' President Kagame asked. 'Heroes' Day exists because every nation or people in this world find themselves in one situation or another, circumstances that shape and influence their actions and struggles.'
He added, "So this was a moment to remind us of our own struggle as a nation, what we have gone through, what we are going through and what is expected of us in the end to triumph.'
The President emphasised that heroism is ultimately rooted in individuals, adding that when individuals face challenges, the contributions expected of them by the nation may not be fully realized.
'All of this reminds us where we must begin,' he said. 'There is the individual, each one of us, then the family we come from, which gives us life, and then the nation. These are all interconnected; one depends on the other. When one is not well, the others cannot be well either.'
He added that when individuals are not well, families cannot thrive, and when both individuals and families are struggling, national progress is undermined.
'If we are not well as individuals, our families will not develop as they should. And if individuals and families are not well, it is difficult to see how the country can be well,' he said.
Rwanda's national heroes are recognised in three categories: Imanzi, Imena, and Ingenzi.
The Imanzi category honours the highest-ranking heroes, including an Unknown Soldier, representing all who gave their lives in battle, and Major General Fred Gisa Rwigema, who led the Rwandan Patriotic Front at the start of the liberation struggle in October 1990.
The Imena category includes heroes such as King Mutara III Rudahigwa, Michel Rwagasana, Agathe Uwiringiyimana, Félicité Niyitegeka, and the Nyange Secondary School students, recognised for their extraordinary service and sacrifice.
The Ingenzi category currently has no officially listed heroes, although the National Heroes, Medals, and Decorations Office (CHENO) is reviewing over 30 living individuals to potentially recognise them as national heroes or award them national honors.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
