Never, they advise, try to escape your responsibilities, no matter how heavy they may seem. It is true that adhering to this principle will help many young people develop successful careers and leadership skills, according to Minister Musabyimana.
To give you some context, on November 10th, 2022, the President of the Republic of Rwanda appointed Musabyimana Jean Claude to the position of Minister of Local Government.
He previously held the positions of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Land and Forestry (MINILAF) and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) . He served as the Northern Province’s governor as well.
Looking back on his journey and the things he has accomplished, he believes that assuming responsibility has contributed to his leadership success and has helped him develop resilience in trying situations.
As we discussed, he said that taking charge begins when one is still young and that it begins with the minor details of life that might be overlooked, whether they are minor or major.
When he looks back on his life, he realizes that one of the things that taught him how to be responsible at a very young age was growing up in the country.
“When they tell you that you have to fetch water first thing in the morning before going to school. You do it, even if you don’t like it, but you bear that duty and carry it out,” he explained.
“Taking care of the cattle and livestock was also a responsibility,” he continued, “and they [parents] would tell us to herd the goats because they nourished us.”
“They [the cattle] existed because of us, and we survived because of them. It was our duty, even if we didn’t want to look after them,” he added.
He maintains that even if it is unpleasant or a heavy burden to bear, one must be committed to duty and responsibility.
According to the Minister of Local Government, taking charge builds resilience and is something that young people can benefit from.
“You work and you get tired, but you get back up; you don’t stop just because you’re tired,” he explained. “You don’t always do what you want; you do what you have to do when you have to do it.”
The minister believes that young people should take charge and consider how they can contribute to their communities as a whole.
Young people, according to him, have a lot to offer society, and all they need to do is look beyond the obvious to identify the issues facing it and come up with solutions.
