President Paul Kagame on Monday cautioned newly sworn-in government officials against treating their oaths of office as empty formalities, urging them to back their pledges with concrete actions that serve citizens and strengthen national progress.
The ceremony, held at Village Urugwiro, brought together three officials who took their oaths before the Head of State: Juvenal Marizamunda, Minister of Defence; Consolée Uwimana, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion; and Yves Iradukunda, Minister of State in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
Marizamunda and Uwimana missed the July 25 swearing-in of the new cabinet because they were on official duty abroad, while Iradukunda was appointed to his position on September 18.
Kagame reminded the officials that leadership is a duty to the nation and that swearing an oath signifies commitment, not ceremony.
“Taking an oath is not just a ritual that ends the moment it happens,” he said. “It must be followed by actions that show dedication to what you have sworn to do. We know where we come from, where we are, and where we want to go.”
He warned that although mistakes are inevitable, leaders who repeat the same errors fail in their responsibilities.
“People make mistakes as human beings, but repeating the same mistakes becomes another problem—a disease that needs treatment,” Kagame said. “We must learn from our errors and improve continuously.”
The president emphasized that public service should prioritize national interests over personal gain.
“The most important thing is to understand the weight of responsibility,” he said. “We work for Rwandans and for our country, not for ourselves. When the country does well, everyone benefits.”
Kagame also reminded the new ministers that most governance challenges stem from within, not from external factors.
“Many problems do not come from the outside—they come from us,” he said. “If you don’t fight and overcome your inner weaknesses, you create problems not only for yourself but for the whole country.”
He praised the new appointees and urged them to collaborate with colleagues to achieve shared national goals.
Kagame noted that the ministries represented—Defence, ICT and Innovation, and Gender and Family Promotion—form key pillars of Rwanda’s transformation, encompassing security, technology, and social well-being.
“These ministries reflect core aspects of what drives our nation forward,” Kagame said. “Security, innovation, and family welfare are at the heart of our progress.”
The president concluded by reminding all government leaders that genuine leadership must be measured by results, not rituals.
