Faith Nyasuguta
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has delivered a scathing rebuke to Western nations threatening sanctions against Rwanda, insisting the country will never again be intimidated or controlled- particularly not by those who failed to act during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi.
Speaking at the 31st Kwibuka National Remembrance Ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Kagame gave one of his most defiant speeches yet, warning that Rwanda’s sovereignty and right to self-defense will not be compromised by international pressure.
“If anyone comes around and says we are going to sanction you- go to hell. Just go to hell,” Kagame said to applause. “You have your own issues to deal with. Go and deal with your own issues. Leave me to mine. This is the spirit Rwandans must have in their daily lives.”
Kagame’s remarks follow mounting criticism from Western governments over Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Tutsi-led M23 has seized significant territory in eastern Congo in recent months. Several countries, including the U.S., have imposed or threatened sanctions, accusing Rwanda of backing the group.
Kagame also accused Western powers of double standards, saying they side with forces that continue to target Tutsi communities in the Great Lakes region. He blamed them for fueling the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo while unfairly punishing Rwanda. “They ignore the real threat- the FDLR- and instead point fingers at us for defending our people,” he said.
Rwanda denies the accusations, arguing that its concerns lie with the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. Kigali maintains that its actions are rooted in national security, not regional aggression.
Kagame doubled down, saying Rwanda’s peace and stability today exist because its citizens are prepared to defend themselves – not because external threats have disappeared. “It will not happen again- not because those who were responsible for that dark past will not try again or are not even trying now- but because Rwandans will stand up and fight,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame laid a wreath at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and lit the Flame of Remembrance, marking the beginning of the 100-day mourning period.
In his address, Kagame also revealed that he’s received warnings from foreign officials suggesting that his vocal stance against powerful countries could endanger his life.
“I have had people come to me and say, ‘President, you are too vocal. You challenge people with power, and they want to kill you,’” Kagame said. “Well, first of all, that means they are killers. But if I were to just accept these things, I wouldn’t be living. I would already be dead.”
Challenging Rwandans to live with purpose and pride, Kagame added: “Why don’t I die fighting? So, you Rwandans, why don’t you die fighting? Instead of dying anyway- just dying like flies. Why?”
Kagame concluded his speech with a message of strength and resilience, saying Rwandans owe no one their existence or dignity. “Rwandans don’t owe their lives to anybody else. Don’t allow anybody to dictate to you how you should live. The day you do that, you’re already finished.”
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