President Paul Kagame told soldiers who graduated from the Senior Command and Staff College in Nyakinama that the courses they completed have put them on a different level, as their responsibilities have increased. Here, too, the consequences of their decisions will increase.
The Head of State told them, “You have arrived here with professional experience, and now you have returned home with a broader knowledge base and have sharpened your mind to take on greater responsibilities.”
President Kagame concluded by thanking the families and friends who supported the graduating students, who are with them in their daily lives, in this important military service.
This graduating class includes RDF soldiers as well as Rwandan and foreign countries.
“I thank you for being good partners and friends, who have come to help us make these courses a success.”
He said, “The values you have shared here are invaluable. In fact, when soldiers who have been trained together come together in regional activities, they have a mindset that promotes collaboration.
This program was designed to develop your knowledge that will help you in difficult or seemingly insurmountable situations.”
Here, Kagame believes that there are values that these officers must have, the first is leadership, because it helps a leader make decisions even when they are faced with many obstacles.
Another is to first do something that you have thought about carefully. The reason why President Kagame says this is that “As your responsibilities increase, the consequences of the decisions you make will increase.”
Also, good choices, good decisions, come from experience, working together, and being humble and accepting to learn from past mistakes, where necessary.
The third is to work towards a goal, based on knowing exactly what you are fighting for. For Rwandans – RDF, President Kagame said that this goal is rooted in protecting the Rwandan people and the sovereignty of the country, which in turn has developed the country.
Here again, the Head of State said, “The question here is not whether you will lead, but how you will lead. These values must characterize you, and you must constantly improve them. The way the RDF is today is not an accident. It was built, over many years, through dedication, discipline and professionalism.”
He added, “That is what has earned us the trust of Rwandans, partners and others we meet in military operations. This responsibility concerns all of you. The place where you work will continue to advance in technology, while at the same time, challenges arise that require you to constantly improve.”