At a high-level governance meeting held to assess Rwanda’s development under the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2: 2024–2029), President Paul Kagame delivered a strong message to leaders, condemning arrogance, poor service delivery, and lack of accountability among public officials.

Addressing leaders from both central and decentralized institutions, Kagame criticized what he described as “baseless pride” among some officials, warning that such behavior could undermine the country’s progress.

“One of your biggest problems is bad behavior, including arrogance. This country of yours you will destroy it. You are arrogant, and you boast for nothing. What exactly are you boasting about?” he asked.

The President questioned why some leaders appear relaxed and comfortable despite failing to deliver meaningful results for citizens.

“Why feel proud instead of doing your job? What have you even achieved to be proud of?” he challenged, urging leaders to reflect on their responsibilities.

Kagame emphasized that repeating past mistakes in governance is unacceptable, particularly when leaders have the opportunity to learn from their predecessors.

“Why should I repeat the same mistakes in the same way as the one I replaced?” he posed, highlighting the need for continuous improvement.

He further stressed that poor service delivery is not merely a weakness but a serious offense.

“This is not just poor service—it becomes a crime,” Kagame said.

The President cited a tragic case from Karongi District, where a woman reportedly died after being denied medical treatment due to issues with her community health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé).

He condemned such negligence, questioning the need for constant reminders about basic responsibilities.

“Should someone be taught every day to fight corruption and serve citizens properly?” he asked.

Kagame also reminded leaders that national development directly benefits them, urging them to align personal responsibility with national interest.

“The country’s interests are your interests as well. No one serves the country and remains behind while the country progresses,” he said.

He cautioned against leaders becoming too comfortable and distracted by political ambitions, particularly with upcoming elections, at the expense of their current duties.

“You’ve already started thinking about elections, yet no one is paying attention to what they have achieved or where it comes from,” he noted.

The President also raised concerns about unfinished construction projects in Kigali, revealing that he had previously tasked city authorities to address the issue without success.

He warned that continued inaction would not be tolerated.

“If I return to the city and find the same problems, I will call you again—and this will stop one way or another,” he warned.

Focus on NST2 Implementation

The meeting comes at a critical time, marking two years since the launch of NST2, Rwanda’s five-year development blueprint aimed at accelerating economic growth, improving social welfare, and strengthening governance.

Leaders used the forum to review progress across key sectors, assess challenges such as resource constraints and capacity gaps, and explore solutions to accelerate implementation.

A central theme of the discussions was the importance of decentralized governance.

Local leaders, who are directly responsible for implementing policies and delivering services, were urged to improve efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness to citizens’ needs.

Participants also shared strategies to enhance coordination between national and local institutions, ensuring that development programs translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.

A Call for Accountability
Ultimately, Kagame’s message underscored the need for humility, discipline, and results-driven leadership.

He called on all officials to avoid becoming too comfortable and instead focus on delivering real impact.

The meeting reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to achieving NST2 targets and ensuring inclusive, sustainable development for all citizens—while making it clear that poor performance and empty pride will not be tolerated.