Thread by @UrugwiroVillage

President Kagame: Good morning, and a warm welcome to all of you. We are here to observe the anniversary of Rwanda’s liberation. #kwibohora25

President Kagame: It is a privilege to mark this occasion, in the company of so many friends of Rwanda, from around the world. I thank you all, on behalf of our country, for your solidarity and friendship over many years. It means a great deal to us. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: I most especially thank our brothers and sisters, the Heads of State and First Ladies, who have made the journey to be with us today. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: For three long months in 1994, our country’s survival was in doubt. A segment of the population was being hunted. More than a million people were murdered. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: By July 4th, our forces had brought the killing to an end. Twenty-five seasons of mourning have passed since then. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: And with time, it is important to recall that the Campaign against Genocide was not a military operation, in the conventional sense.
It was a rescue mission. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: There was a battalion of our soldiers stationed at Parliament Building. They came under very heavy attack,completely cut off from the rest of our forces.Yet those troops managed to secure this very stadium where we are and the thousands of people sheltering here

President Kagame: Around us today, are some of the men and women, who protected survivors and led them to safety. You have lived for our country, and those still alive continue to serve it with steadfast devotion. We thank you.#Kwibohora25

President Kagame: Many other liberation fighters are here with us only in memory, because they made the ultimate sacrifice. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: Where did the humanity and heroism come from? The answer is simple. We believed in our right to dignity as Rwandans. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: This conviction was the starting point of the liberation struggle. The aim was to build a Rwanda with equal rights for all. In other words, a republic, in the real sense. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: For decades and decades, Rwandans were treated as objects, to be used and discarded by anyone, especially the powerful. It won’t be anymore.

President Kagame: Both the suffering of the refugees, as well as the oppression and poverty of those who remained here, had a similar origin. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: Had we ever truly been united, at any point in our history? And yet our culture provides us with the tools for a successful society.
Liberation was not about restoring the past, but creating something fundamentally new and better, for all Rwandans. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: This fight was necessary and indeed unavoidable. If there ever been necessity for more fight, we will be there.#Kwibohora25

President Kagame: The vision of unity and justice attracted broad support, because it resonates so strongly with the human spirit. But the proof was in actions, not words. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: This fight was necessary, and indeed unavoidable. The vision of unity and justice attracted broad support, because it resonates so strongly with the human spirit. But the proof was in actions, not words. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: For the last twenty-five years, we have done our best to govern according to the liberation ideals that we fought for. The conduct of our forces is one example. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: Another is the bravery of those within Rwanda who opposed divisive politics. Or the energy that our people give every day to transforming the nation as we have seen in the past 25 years. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: As a result, the impossible has become manageable, and even natural. Achievements like restoring trust and peace, or working together, for example. But we cannot take anything for granted. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: The force that stands before us, together with other actors in the struggle, have remained true to the cause. They are a representation of the spirit of this country. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: It is the responsibility of every Rwandan to extend the gains we have made. Rwanda appreciates the profound link between our liberation journey, and the wider African quest for self-determination. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: We all share the same aspirations to be free and to improve ourselves to the fullest extent. Our continent cannot remain dependent on what happens elsewhere. Our mindset should be to rely, first of all, on ourselves and on each other. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: It is worth repeating: Being Rwandan simply means being an African from a particular place. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: In that spirit, I salute the forces from the East African Community partners here with us today, who have been conducting medical outreach exercises. Thank you. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: I hail the representatives from African political parties who are attending this ceremony. And I thank the military service chiefs who have come both from our region and beyond. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: The logic of liberation is to turn bad things into good things. What Rwandans have achieved is undeniably real. But we must stay humble enough to know that our main challenge is sustainability. #Kwibohora25

President Kagame: We left the past behind us and embraced the future by coming together as a family. We must remain solid in defence of these values through each and every generation. We will not lose our way again. #Kwibohora25