The final leg of the campaign hit top speed as RPF candidate Paul Kagame blitzed through three rallies in a day in and around Kigali. The first rally was in the Nyabugogo area, the place is a transport hub as the main bus terminal is positioned there, there is also an active market both wholesale and retail. The area has also been a scene of chaos in recent months as terrorists attacked innocent civilians in an attempt to intimidate locals. The president had appeared there before to reassure locals that the attacks would not succeed.
The rally was arranged at short notice but still managed to pull in over 50,000 people in the height of the busy lunchtime period. The crowd was smaller than usual but louder and more boisterous than usual, Kagame had to calm down the crowd on several occasions to let him speak and they sang campaign anthems. The rally was shorter than usual in order to cause minimal disruption to the city.
“Let us continue to build our country together, but that will only be if you pick the right choice of candidate.” Paul Kagame said.
He continued to list the numerous achievements and targets that the RPF had and asked for the people to carry on in their quest for development under the RPF umbrella. The rally was short but sweet and soon the campaign was off to the next stop in Ruhuha, Bugesera south of Kigali.
There was a big crowd in Ruhuha in Bugesera numbering some 80,000 people, they braved the scorching sun to see their candidate. There was the usual fanfare with loud music, singing from the crowd, comedians and poets as well as local politicians. The theme of Paul Kagame’s speech was democracy and development.
“Democracy and development go hand in hand, they complement each other. You cannot have one without the other. Democracy is about choice, it is about the right to choose and the right to reject. It is about choosing a leader who will unite, or to reject criminals and those who divide the country on ethnic lines. That is democracy, whoever is uncomfortable with that can go.”
He then spoke about foreign critics who he said lie about Rwanda, and asked that Rwandans stay focussed on their goals whatever comes in their way.
“Those who say bad things about Rwanda will never stop us from achieving our goals. I call on all Rwandans to join me in developing our country, so we can earn our dignity as Rwandans in the international arena. No single country was ever created to be poor.” Kagame said.
The crowd was galvanised by this, and they cheered his every word. Bugesera was the scene of some of the worst massacres during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the area was home to a large Tutsi population before the massacres, so his words on divisionism were particularly poignant.
“Rwanda will never be left behind in international development, Rwanda will fight anyone who brings conflict among Rwandans. Some of these critics played a part in the terrible past of Rwanda. They will be haunted by their evil deeds”
Kagame clenched his first as he called for the people to vote for RPF, he spoke with a firm tone as he asked for their votes.
“To vote for RPF is to vote for development, democracy and truth and justice for all. We have come a long way but the journey is still long. We have achieved so much but I will deliver even more if I am elected.”
