Buildings in a model village that hosts selected vulnerable families are seen before being inaugurated by Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Nyagatare district, northern Rwanda, on July 4, 2020. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
KIGALI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Saturday celebrated the 26th anniversary of liberation by inaugurating several development projects on the northern border with Uganda, where the liberation struggle was launched on Oct. 1, 1990.
The central African country marks the Liberation Day, known as Kwibohora locally, every year on July 4, when the Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the liberation struggle, ended the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi that claimed over 1 million lives.
The projects constructed by the government and inaugurated by Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Nyagatare district included a model village that hosts 64 selected vulnerable families, an early childhood development center to accommodate 100 pupils, a school with smart classrooms and a health center.
Kagame was accompanied by senior government officials and local leaders during the inauguration. Unlike in the past, the government didn't organize the mass rally on this year's liberation day to respect health guidelines on the COVID-19.
In a video message televised after inaugurating the projects, Kagame called on the people to strive for the common good instead of individual interests, which is among the values that characterized the liberation, and that public servants to serve all the Rwandan people and be accountable for them.
The president, who led the liberation struggle in 1990s as the commander of RPF forces, said this year's anniversary is celebrated at difficult times when the country is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic is a test for the country and the way Rwanda addresses it shows its level of preparedness against anything that attempts to disrupt Rwandan people's lives and the country's progress, he said.
"We always stand ready to protect Rwandans and what we have achieved. This is the same way we should fight COVID-19 and defeat it," he added, calling the fight against the coronavirus "another struggle" that the country must win.
As of Friday, Rwanda registered 1,081 COVID-19 cases in total, including 512 recoveries and three deaths. Enditem
