Kagame Pushes for Quick End to Dependence on Foreign Aid, Reports KT Press

    KIREHA, RWANDA, November 16, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, who spent nearly a week in the countryside, is keeping the momentum towards self-reliance, pushing the country to embrace the culture of hard-work and increase productivity to help cutback on foreign aid.

Kagame who visited rural communities - mostly farmers, and inspected development projects deep away from urban centers, said Rwandans must produce surplus food to supply markets to increase household income.

"We should not be fed," he said, adding that agriculture productivity will help Rwanda achieve self-reliance, as the crowd of thousands cheered.

"As leaders, we pledge to facilitate maximum productivity," Kagame said. The President also repeated his signature message, asking Rwandans not to settle for anything mediocre.

Earlier in the week, after visiting Gasabo District, as part of his regular outreach program, he headed to Nyagatare District in the Eastern Province. On Friday, the president moved to Kirehe District, bordering Tanzania. Kagame visited Cyunuzi marshland, a 630ha rice-field that has created more than 3000 on-farm jobs.

The President praised exemplary farmers, advising others to emulate. The rice-field he visited is capable of producing 12tons per hectare, but it is currently producing four tons.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Province has experienced rapid growth. Kirehe, where the President visited, had no electricity at all, five years ago. Odette Uwamariya, the provincial governor, said the district has now rolled electricity supply to 17% of the population. In Some sectors, every home is connected to the grid.

"There is visible progress in the last 5 years," Kagame said, committing government investment into agriculture and infrastructure, including electricity expansion to allow more economic growth.

Rwanda spends 14% of the national budget into rural development, of which 70% goes into agriculture and social protection programs. Nearly 15 years ago, Rwanda depended virtually on donors to finance its budget. But in the nearly $2billion budget for 2014/15, up to 65 per cent of expenditure will come from taxes.

Before leaving the region, President Kagame told the youths who had entertained the crowd that their generation should never be dependent on anyone but themselves.

"The children who sang for us here today should grow up to be in a position to help others not to be dependent on others," Kagame said.

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