THE youth have been urged to work hard and consolidate the gains the country has made since 1994. The call was made during the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) youth league congress that drew over 1,500 participants from across the country on Sunday at RPF headquarters in Rusororo Sector, Gasabo District.

The congress discussed the role of the youth in the liberation struggle as well as building a strong party and country. The youth congress is one of the main events lined up ahead of celebrations to mark 30 years of RPF, scheduled for December 16.

In 1994, Rwanda was liberated by the youth who espoused values of resilience, courage and patriotism.

Like the Defence minister James Kabarebe said, these are the values that today’s youth must emulate to jealously protect the gains the country has registered over the last two decades.

The liberation restored dignity of Rwandans and gave the country identity, which it had lost. Thousands of Rwandans fled to various countries, while those in the country were also internally displaced during the pre-1994 era.

Today’s Rwanda is a country that gives the best environment for every youth and Rwandans in general to live to their full potential.

In the same way the young liberators sacrificed their lives, today’s youth should be ready to sacrifice protecting their country, which was rebuilt after stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that left over one million innocent people dead.

The death of these people should not be in vain. The youth have the support of the top leadership to spearhead the transformation agenda of Rwanda.

It should be the responsibility of every youth to uphold discipline, fight genocide ideology and think big to transform Rwanda. The youth have the means but what is required is to think big, and be disciplined because a country with disciplined youth can’t fail to develop.