“The Army I Have Always Wanted” - Kagame Praises Rwanda’s Security Forces and National Unity

Kigali, Rwanda - December 19, 2025

President Paul Kagame on Friday strongly praised Rwanda’s security services and the unity of its citizens, describing the national army as “the army I have always wanted,” during the opening of the 17th General Assembly of the RPF-Inkotanyi Association held in Rusororo.

Addressing delegates, President Kagame expressed deep gratitude to Rwandans from various sectors who have contributed to the country’s development, singling out members of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), the National Police, and other security institutions for their service to the nation.

“Among the institutions I want to thank are the security services in general - the RDF, Police, and others,” Kagame said. “They serve our country as a whole. What I ask of them, they have fulfilled. Our army is the army I have always wanted to have.”

Beyond the security sector, the Head of State paid special tribute to the Rwandan population, commending citizens for resisting division despite Rwanda’s painful history.

“Looking at where we came from - from division politics and genocide - and where we are today, united as a people, is remarkable,” he said. “There is no country with citizens as good as ours.”

President Kagame emphasized that attempts by external actors to sow discord among Rwandans have failed, noting that those efforts were rejected by a population committed to national cohesion.

He further stated that some individuals who fled the country later became instruments for those seeking to divide Rwanda, citing influences from abroad, including Europe, the United States, and South Africa. Kagame warned against ambitions fueled by foreign backing rather than lawful political processes.

“Wanting leadership is not a crime,” he said, “but there is a way to pursue it. Believing that outsiders will impose it for you has failed many before.”

The President also criticized attempts to exploit NGOs or other platforms as vehicles for division, stressing that Rwandans have consistently refused to be manipulated against their own country.

“When you have such citizens and fail to give them what they deserve, that is a serious crime,” Kagame said, urging leaders to regret, change, and do what is right.

He concluded by acknowledging the role of other political parties in preserving unity and rejecting divisive politics.

These remarks align with findings from the Rwanda Governance Scorecard (RGS) released by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), which ranks security and population stability among the country’s strongest pillars, scoring 90.02%, one of the highest indicators of national performance.