President Paul Kagame has reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to building a just and harmonious society, urging citizens to reflect on the country’s painful history and embrace unity and equality. Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, the President acknowledged past failures in the justice system and emphasized the need for continued progress.
“Justice in our country has been deeply flawed for many years, primarily influenced by politics, which led to Rwandans being divided, failing to understand each other, and even killing one another. That is our past, and that is where we come from,” Kagame said. However, he stressed that Rwanda is on a journey toward a brighter future. “Where we are headed, and it had been clear for a long time, is in a different and better direction, and it is necessary. It is so necessary that what we ask of people is to understand this, to follow the path of living in harmony, to uphold justice and the laws that we must all embrace.”
President Kagame emphasized equality and the role of justice in ensuring that no one is above another in terms of rights. “Let us strive to live together, to live well together, because we are all human beings, we are all equal. The equality that I am speaking of is about the rights that every individual has. That is what our justice system should help us achieve,” he said.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s journey, the President highlighted both progress and the road ahead. While acknowledging that the country’s desired destination remains distant, he expressed determination to achieve it swiftly. “What holds us back stems only from bad habits, and if we work together to fight against them, they can be overcome. In doing so, our country will progress and no longer be a nation defined by its many challenges,” he said.
Kagame also cautioned against resigning to despair and leaving problems unsolved. “What we should leave to the Creator are those things beyond our control, but these challenges we face are within our means to solve.”
The President went on to address those attempting to undo the progress made in Rwanda, highlighting that justice must not be compromised for political gain. “In general, not everyone has received the justice they deserve and desire. However, some have been more deprived of justice than others. This resulted in the painful history we always remember,” Kagame said. He warned that any efforts to reverse the country’s progress, whether from within or outside Rwanda, would not be tolerated.
“Even today, there are still individuals with ideas of taking us back to that past. In such cases, the law and justice must be enforced. If they are not enforced, other measures will be taken. That must stop,” he said. The President made it clear that any attempts to harm survivors of past injustices, or to undermine Rwanda’s commitment to justice, would face consequences. “Killing people who have already been deprived of justice, and even lost loved ones, and having a political agenda to push things in that direction of harming survivors, targeting them in their homes and killing them; laws must be upheld. If not, other actions will be taken.”
President Kagame sent a clear message to those who continue to play politics with the country’s future: “I am declaring this, I am saying it to you all, and everyone must hear me: it must stop. Those playing politics and making statements, whether they are outside the country, inside the country, and those who work with them, including foreigners who seem wanting to undermine this, to reduce it to nothing, should know that we are not nobodies.”
He ended with a firm declaration: “Our laws, and the justice I am speaking about, cannot and should not be rendered meaningless. No politics can turn justice into nothing.”
The President’s speech underscored the importance of a robust justice system as the backbone of unity and progress. His words set the tone for the new Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, signaling the expectations of transformational leadership within Rwanda’s judiciary.
