President Paul Kagame has urged Rwandans and Africans to stop accepting dependency and being swayed by external influence. He said the continent’s biggest challenge is not external influence but Africa's choosing to accept it. ALSO READ: Umushyikirano: Rwandans weigh in on progress, what needs to change He made the remarks as he closed the 20th edition of the National Umushyikirano Council on Friday, February 6, at Kigali Convention Centre. Kagame noted that one of the major challenges to development in Africa is the failure to translate good ideas into results. The President cautioned against turning the national dialogue into a ceremonial gathering characterised by many speeches and little action. “Technically, you are able and capable, but something comes and takes away that capability, and you fail to know where it has gone. I think it comes from culture. If you have capability and knowledge but nothing tangible comes out of it, then there is a problem,” Kagame told the audience. ALSO READ: A look back at Rwanda's position in the world Reflecting on Africa’s broader struggles, he pointed out that the continent continues to face deliberate efforts by external actors to undermine its progress, sometimes in subtle ways. “Those who caused us problems in the past are still looking for ways to inhibit us,” he noted, referring to slave trade and subsequent colonialism. “Sometimes, if they are kind, they pity you and lift you slightly to a place where you are neither dead nor healed. You remain in hospitalisation. When you leave the hospital and try to push on and raise your head, they put you back to the hospital. That is how Africa is; look around and you will see it,” he added. ALSO READ: PICTORIAL: How Umushyikirano Day 2 unfolded The president argued that Africa must stop accepting this reality as inevitable. “Why do you accept it? Put in place your own way of operation and reach what you want. What is stopping us?” he asked. “The problem is not the one who is misleading; the problem is you who accepts to be misled,” he added.
