President Paul Kagame on Monday commissioned more than 600 cadet officers who completed their training at Rwanda Military Academy- Gako, into Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), reminding the young and energetic servicemen and women to put the country first and to ensure that whoever attacks Rwanda in future regrets.
The Head of State, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of RDF, told the officers that as the country marks 30 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, they have a duty and responsibility to ensure that Rwandans should never lose their lives again as they did before, at the behest of other people who had the power to decide their fate.
President Kagame commended the young officers for choosing to serve the country in the military as well as the parents who supported their choice and the teachers who trained them, pointing out that the more than one year they have spent undergoing has prepared them for the task ahead.
Among other things, the Head of State told the young officers to prepare for what lies ahead, given that today there are many challenges the country has to deal with, including provocations and warmongering from individuals or external forces that want to use war to spread chaos and instability.
“There are some who believe that the role of an army is to wage wars. That is a mistake. The armed forces of our country do not exist to create or provoke wars. The history of our country is one where people were killed by fellow citizens, as a result of bad politics, both internally and externally.”
“Children, the elderly, young men and women were asked to choose the weapon of their death. When a nation has reached this level of tragedy, it would be unthinkable for us to repeat this history. The training of our armed forces, and the knowledge of our past, cannot allow for our tragic history to ever repeat itself in this country,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame said that much as what happened [Genocide] in Rwanda was done by Rwandans themselves, there are those who supported and backed such actions, reiterating that such individuals or groups do not value peace in anyway, which is why Rwandans have to ensure their own protection and safety.
“Offering your life for the service of your country is not only an honour for you but also for your own people, Rwandans and those who live in our country,” President Kagame said, reiterating his Kwibuka 30 message, reaffirming that what happened in Rwanda should never happen again, ever.
“We don’t want a situationwhere people are killed due to bad politics, whether it is form here in our country or from outside Rwanda,” President Kagame said.
“A situation where a person would be asked to choose the kind of death to die; Armed people, local or foreigners, had the power to ask helpless, unarmed people, including children, youth, old women and men, how they want to die. For a country to reach this point, and it happens again, it would be an abomination,” President Kagame said.
The Head of State said that with the kind of training and preparation RDF is given, that history will never repeat itself in Rwanda.
“It is the duty you have as the country’s army, whether it is you or those you are finding in service. You have to serve with all your heart and have that kind of spirit to reject what I am talking about,” said President Kagame, who also conffered a rank of Second Lieutenant to the graduates.
He told them to stand for human dignity and integrity like the old woman he recently referred to in his Kwibuka 30 speech, who faced genocidaires who were standing before her, asking her to make a choice of how she wants to die but she instead spat in their faces and cursed them.
“That old woman was a heroine. She faced the enemy and rejected their proposal, spat in their faces and cursed them. She preferred to die in a dignified way,” President Kagame told the new officers, reminding them of the importance of standing for what is right, even if it means dying for it.
“I often repeat this but it should be a culture we have in us. You won’t do just what you were trained to do, you should also follow your hearts and minds, and reject what is bad and die for what is right and dignified. Reject it, reject mediocrity and die for the truth,”
President Kagame said that those willing to impose those values on them should regret why they did so, just as those who are looking to start a war against Rwanda, reminding them to teach such people a lesson. He reminded the graduates that wherever they are deployed, they should always put the interests of the country first.
According to Brig. Gen Franco Rutagengwa, Commandant RMA-Gako, a total of 624 officer cadets graduated, including 51 females while 33 junior officers who graduated completed their studies in neighbouring countries.
A total of 102 graduated after completing a four year training course in both military and university studies, in different disciplines such as social and military sciences, general medicine as well as mechanical and energy engineering. A total of 522 granduads, completed a 1-year military course. Of those, 355 were junior officers 167 who were civilians but had a bachelors degree.
Brig. Gen Rutagengwa said the cadet officers went through rigorous training, both academic and military disciplines and were carefully selected for the task.
‘They went through serious training, 25 of them were not able to complete the course,” Brig. Gen Rutagengwa said, adding that RMA, which currently has 10 departments, is aspiring to train the best individuals in all disciplines of life, while equipping them with the necessary military skills to cope with today’s challenges.
He pointed out that the military institution is working hand-in-hand with other institutions, including the Ministry of Education and University of Rwanda (UR) to develop the best curriculum, developing the necessary facilities and ensuring quality of education.
“Very soon, we are beginning to admit students from neighbouring countries who also want to tap into this,” he said, commending the graduates for behaving exceptionally well and displaying high levels of discipline.
President Kagame awarded the best performing cadets. Officer Cadet Yannick Kamanzi emerged the best student among those who did 4 years, while Officer Cadet Fils Nsengiyumva was the best performing cadet among those who did 1 year while Officer Cadet Tufurahi Umuhoza was the best cadet for the entire cohort.
President Kagame also toured RMA-Gako’s new facilities including a multipurpose hall, medical lab, and smart classroom, which have been added to the facility located in Bugesera district, in a bid to turn it into a ultra-modern military training institution.
President Kagame and guests follow the proceedings.
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