PHOTOS: Kagame calls for discipline and patriotism at Indangamirwa Cohort 16

President Paul Kagame has called on Rwanda’s youth to embrace discipline, patriotism and the country’s cultural values, saying they are essential foundations for building successful lives and contributing to national development.

The Head of State delivered the message on Tuesday while addressing participants of the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa at the Gabiro Combat Training Centre in Gatsibo District, where nearly 800 young Rwandans have been undergoing civic education and leadership training.

President Kagame emphasized that discipline remains one of the most important qualities for young people, warning that a lack of focus can easily lead them towards destructive behaviours.

‘Discipline is essential. It keeps you focused on your goals instead of being drawn into things that do not build you, but may instead destroy you,” the President said.

He praised the participants for dedicating their time to the programme despite having other personal and family commitments, noting that the lessons acquired during the training would remain valuable throughout their lives.

“You could have been elsewhere attending to your personal affairs or those of your families,” Kagame told the participants.

“Training like this guides you, if you choose to follow it, and helps prevent you from taking the wrong path”, he added

The President warned against harmful habits, including drug abuse and substance addiction, saying they have long-term consequences for individuals and society.

He encouraged the youth to remain focused on education, hard work and responsible citizenship as they prepare to play a greater role in Rwanda’s future.

Language preservation also featured prominently in the President’s address.

The President stressed that every Rwandan should know and speak Kinyarwanda, describing the language as a vital part of the country’s identity and unity.

He expressed concern that some young people—and even adults—are no longer fluent in their mother tongue, urging relevant institutions to establish accessible programmes that enable Rwandans, including those living abroad, to learn Kinyarwanda wherever they are.

The event also featured remarks from the Ministry of National Unity & Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana, who said participants had received comprehensive training on Rwandan cultural values, patriotism, leadership, unity and civic responsibility.

He explained that the Itorero Indangamirwa programme was relocated from Nkumba to the Gabiro Combat Training Centre to provide a more suitable environment for delivering the expanded curriculum and practical leadership training.

The interactive session gave participants the opportunity to showcase lessons learned during the programme, share their ideas and recommendations, and engage directly with the President through a question-and-answer session.

Several senior government officials attended the event, including Minister of Defence Juvenal Marizamunda, Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana, Minister of Local Government Dominique Habimana, and other senior leaders.

The 2026 Indangamirwa Cohort 16 brings together 769 participants, including 137 young Rwandans from the diaspora, with the delegation comprising 66 women and 71 men from abroad alongside participants drawn from secondary schools and higher learning institutions across Rwanda.

Aged between 18 and 23 years, the young men and women have spent weeks receiving training aimed at strengthening their understanding of Rwanda’s history, national values, leadership, self-reliance and civic responsibility.

Itorero Indangamirwa, established by the Rwandan government in 2007, is a civic education programme inspired by the traditional Itorero. 

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