Kagame urges Africa’s future leaders to embrace responsibility as ASG admits pioneer class

By The Inspirer.

President Paul Kagame on Thursday officiated the matriculation ceremony of the African School of Governance’s (ASG) first Master of Public Administration (MPA) cohort, calling on the students to embody values of self-awareness, responsibility, and action as they prepare to lead Africa into a new era.

The event, held at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, marked the formal admission of ASG’s inaugural students drawn from across the continent, including Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, Gambia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Addressing the gathering of students, faculty, partners, and members of the board, President Kagame reflected on the journey of ASG from concept to reality, crediting its establishment to the vision of leaders and partners such as former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

“What you have accomplished here is transformative. It will benefit not only the students but also the communities they come from,” Kagame said. “Africa deserves focus and deep study, and that must be led by you, our young people. Your education here will push you to think critically and practically about how to move our continent forward.”

The Head of State outlined three essential qualities he said would define Africa’s next generation of leaders:

• Self-awareness: recognizing the challenges Africa faces and the urgency of addressing them.

• Responsibility: valuing one’s self, country, and people, while demanding accountability first from within.

• Action: refusing to remain passive observers but instead stepping up to lead.

“Other regions once at Africa’s level have surged ahead, yet we continue to struggle with issues that should have been solved decades ago,” Kagame noted. “That reality should ignite a fire in you.”

He also reminded the students that global economic and technological shifts demand that Africa accelerates its pace: “An institution is only as strong as the people it shapes. That means you. Make the most of your time here so that when your countries call on you, you will be ready.”

Launched in January 2025, the African School of Governance is built on three pillars: education, research, and policy development. Its mission is to nurture transformative leaders through academic programmes, leadership training, and innovative research tailored to Africa’s unique history and governance realities.

By equipping its graduates with skills for policy innovation, regional integration, and practical solutions to the continent’s most pressing challenges, ASG hopes to shape a generation capable of redefining governance across Africa.