KIGALI – Rwanda President Paul Kagame has said a particular neighbouring country is facing increasing social unrest because its ruling government has exploited people for a long time.
Without giving a name, Mr Kagame said in that neighbouring country, 1% of the population controls 100% of the country’s resources, leaving others to suffer.
“Countries I mentioned with problems is because they never cared for the people. It’s that burden they are struggling with. They are paying accumulated debt… Those demonstrations you are seeing is about people saying ‘. Hmm you lied to us. From the beginning, we supported you, we followed you and afterwards you abandoned us and took all the country’s resources,’” Mr Kagame said
“In that neighboring country, 1% of the population controls 99% of the population politically. Then 1% controls 100% percent of the resources and the rest follow. The demonstrators you see are people demanding what is theirs. They are saying you cheated us. Those people are used like one would use a motorbike to reach your destination. Now people are saying we refuse to carry you on our backs. You take everything and leave nothing to us,” he added.
The Rwanda president was presiding over the closing ceremony of the 12th annual forum of Unity Club Intwararumuri, an association of current and former cabinet ministers and their spouses, in Kigali last week.
It is not immediately clear what country he was referring to. However, given the past diplomatic standoffs between Uganda and Rwanda, it is believed that Mr Kagame was referring to the former.
Currently, Uganda is struggling to suppress a protest at Makerere University, which was prompted by the 15% tuition fees increment policy.
At the 12th annual forum of Unity Club, Mr Kagame also cautioned those who attempt to destablise Rwanda, saying no one can impose their own way of doing things on Rwandans.
“Those who claim they want to fight for the country, I don’t see what they want to fight for. Their intentions are simply to destroy what we have built. What’s more interesting is that Rwandans know what they want,” he said.
Mr Kagame said that Rwandans need, among other things, security to conduct their businesses, access to electricity, healthcare services, education and the right to choose their leaders from the bottom to the top.
“Those who think they can fight to impose on Rwandans the life they want better than what Rwandans themselves want or what they have that they obtained through the right ways, you can’t win that fight,” he said.
