President Paul Kagame has urged young people to take personal responsibility for overcoming harmful habits, particularly alcohol and drug abuse, saying lasting change requires personal discipline and a willingness to change.

Speaking during the #MeetThePresident engagement at BK Arena on Wednesday, October 21, Kagame said interventions by families, authorities and other people may not be enough to change someone who is unwilling to change themselves.

"Unless individuals make a personal commitment to changing their behaviour, they risk falling back into the same habits,” he said.

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He cited cases of people who repeatedly return to prison for the same offences, saying punishment alone may not be enough to break harmful habits if individuals are unwilling to change.

"You cannot force someone to be disciplined when they are unwilling, but if you choose it, you can learn discipline from people around you,” he said.

Kagame stressed that discipline requires consistency, urging young people to develop good habits and maintain them over time.

"You need to be disciplined in your daily life, maintain good habits and learn to distinguish between what is good for you and what is harmful. Personal development depends on the choices you make and your commitment to improving yourself over time,” he said.

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He also challenged young people to question behaviours that have become socially acceptable despite their harmful consequences, particularly alcohol and drug abuse.

He noted that some people continue drinking even when it affects their lives, with some turning to alcohol in an attempt to sleep or cope with personal challenges.

"Rather than using alcohol or drugs to escape problems, you should confront your challenges and work towards improving their circumstances,” he said.

He acknowledged that changing harmful habits requires an effort, but stressed that people must take the first step themselves instead of relying entirely on others to change them.

Kagame also urged young people who feel they have wasted time or made mistakes to understand that they can still change the direction of their lives.

"It&039;s never too late,” he said, encouraging those who recognise the need to change to take action rather than assume that their past choices have closed off opportunities for a better future.

Kagame linked this ability to change to discipline, healthy choices and the willingness to keep developing oneself over time. He said people should learn from others and draw inspiration from them without losing sight of their own responsibilities.

"You should not accept harmful practices simply because they have become common in society. Instead, you should question them and recognise their consequences,” he said.

He cited attitudes towards alcohol and drug abuse among young people, as well as teenage pregnancy, as examples of issues that should not be dismissed as normal or inconsequential.