President Paul Kagame yesterday applauded residents of Gikomero for the hard work that has led to the socio-economic transformation of the area.

He made the remarks while addressing residents of the sector located in Gasabo District during his citizen outreach tour of the area.

Six years ago, Gikomero was one of the poorest among the 15 sectors of the district.

Through the use of social protection programmes such as Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), residents have since raised their standards of living aided by the construction of new roads and the recent access to electricity and water for the thousands of residents in the area.

(Video: President Kagame speaking to thousands of residents in Gikomero. Paul Kagame/YouTube)

President Kagame reminded Gikomero residents that today’s development must benefit both this generation and the next.

"We know our past and today we look forward towards a prosperous future for this generation and the next. There is no reason why future generations should have to experience the hardships our generations or previous ones lived through,” Kagame said.

The President added that delivering a brighter future is the duty of every elected leader:

"Our role as leaders is to deliver a better future for all Rwandans. It is your right and your role to demand accountability from your leaders,” he said.

Kagame encouraged the residents to continue working in cooperatives.

"You should work together, that’s the only way you will progress. We are Rwanda, a small country that cannot afford to be divided,” the President said.

Interacting with residents

He challenged the residents to move away from the mindset of aid recipients and work towards self-reliance.

"Ask yourself, those who give us aid, where do they get the means? Aren't they human like you and I? If you perceive yourself as poor, you will remain poor. If you believe you are worth more, you will achieve more. Dignity is about saying no to always being the recipient of help. It is about being determined to achieve self reliance,” Kagame said.

Meanwhile, the President took time to interact with the residents, with some seizing the opportunity to express how grateful they are for several developmental projects in their neighborhoods while others sought the President’s intervention on issues they claimed local authorities weren't giving enough attention.

One of the cases that took centre stage was that of Josiane Uwonkunda, a Genocide survivor who is seeking compensation for land that belonged to her deceased parents but was partly sold by her guardian when she was still a minor, while the other part of the property was given out by the Kigali City Council.

The President referred the case to the Minister for Local Government, Francis Kaboneka, to ensure that Uwonkunda is compensated as soon as possible.