RPF flagbearer, Paul Kagame, said Rwandans chose to be lions led by lions.
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) flagbearer Paul Kagame says Rwandans have over the years learnt to be a group of lions, led by lions, in reference to the ruling party, defying the old saying by ancient Greek King, Alexander the Great.
“We are an army of lions led by a lion,” Kagame, told more than 500, 000 residents of Nyarugenge district, City of Kigali, on the 4th day of the presidential campaign, ahead of the July 15 polls, emphasizing that a group of lions led by a lion can be more effective.
Referencing a quote by ancient Greek King, Alexander the Great, who said that “An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep”, President Kagame said that Rwanda and Rwandans, under RPF-Inkotanyi, chose to be an army of lions, led by a lion, to be able to face the many battles over the past 30 years.
He pointed out that an army of sheep, even if led by a lion, cannot win any battles, hence it is better for a group of lions to be led by a lion. The lion is one of the symbols of the ruling party.
President Kagame, who is contesting against Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate, said that similarly, a bunch of lions led by a sheep is equally useless.
President Kagame used an analogy of an army of sheep led by a lion.
“We have gone above that threshold. Once you are a lion, you don’t need a sheep around as a leader, but also if you are a lion, and you are leading an army of sheep, you won’t win any battle. We understood the assignment many years ago,” President Kagame said.
“What we Rwandans have been through in the past 30 years, the history learned, the battles fought, have been tough indeed. But do you know what it’s like to be abandoned, and then targeted by the world? Do you understand that both happened to us? Rwanda really shouldn’t exist given how it was abandoned one, then targeted, and with constant uproar always surrounding this country.
“But the unity we Rwandans keep teaching and reinforcing all the time, is our strength. Having a vision is a strength. Doing the good things you believe are right for you is a strength. In changing our history, this is the path we have chosen,” Kagame told Nyarugenge residents.
President Kagame said that in reality, Rwanda shouldn’t be existing anymore, given how much the country has been put through, but the country has been able to withstand all that and emerge from the ruins, thanks to the efforts of all Rwandans.
“It is a choice we made to change our history,” he said, adding that the mentality of the lion continues, pointing out that there are lions leading today and more lions will emerge to lead tomorrow, including young ones.
“We still have a long journey. We are yet to get where we want to be. We are yet to achieve everything we want but what we have achieved so far should encourage us to strive for more,” he said.
Kagame promised residents of Nyarugenge more over the next five years and reiterated his political party’s commitment to continue working towards developing the country and liberating it more from its ugly past.
The RPF Inkotanyi Chairman assured Rwandans that the journey will continue.
