The 20th National Umushyikirano Council, which concluded in Kigali 6, 2026,  is the Rwanda’s “brain and nervous” system in action

‘The 20th National Umushyikirano Council’, which concluded in Kigali on February 6, 2026, served as a profound demonstration of Rwanda’s “brain and nervous system” in action. Derived from the Kinyarwanda verb gushyikirana—meaning “to reach one another”—this annual dialogue has evolved from a traditional cultural practice into a modern constitutional mandate that effectively flattens the national hierarchy. Over two days, the Kigali Convention Centre became a theater of radical accountability, where the highest echelons of government, including President Paul Kagame, stood before the public to answer for the nation’s progress and challenges.

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At Umushikirano 26: Paul Kagame in his element, discussing and solving Rwanda’s problems

Diplomacy and Regional Security

The dialogue opened as a high-stakes platform for regional politics, particularly concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). President Kagame delivered what many considered a masterclass in diplomacy, dismissing long-standing allegations of mineral exploitation by stating that Rwanda would be “100 times richer” if its involvement in the DRC were motivated by theft rather than security. He framed Rwanda’s military posture as a strictly defensive necessity against the FDLR, asserting that the country would not be “choked” by external powers failing to address the root causes of regional instability.

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On Left, the Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva, and on Right, the President Paul Kagame

On the regional scene, the President argued that Rwanda is unfairly blamed for the DRC’s internal problems while the “international community” remains a faceless entity that avoids accountability. He noted that the DRC leadership acts like a “spoiled child” and maintained that Rwanda will not carry the weight of its neighbor’s problems. Regarding Genocide Ideology, he warned that even if perpetrators in the DRC are aging, they have “trained children,” indoctrinating a new generation and making the threat perpetual.