Rwandan President Paul Kagame has issued a sharp and impassioned appeal for Africans to confront the daily realities of disrespect and condescension, urging the continent to reject externally imposed narratives and reclaim its dignity through self-respect and independent action.

Speaking during a national address on Saturday, Kagame criticised what he described as the widespread belief that Africans are incapable of thinking and acting for themselves.

He challenged both the external forces that promote this view and the internal mindset that accepts it.

“Many people think we are dumb, we have no capacity to think and to act upon what we think and what we must do,” he said, pointing to the persistent pattern of disregard experienced by Africans at global and local levels.

Kagame, however, did not solely direct his frustration at foreign actors. He turned the focus inward, asking why Africans have long tolerated being lectured and instructed on matters that concern their own lives and future.

“I can’t quarrel with you just because you have been coming around and giving me lectures without blaming myself for committedly listening to you and going by what you are telling me,” he said, questioning the need for validation from outside the continent to determine what is right.

He described the kind of disregard that Africans face daily as “staggering,” adding that the practice of accepting such treatment without challenge needs to end.

Kagame’s message extends beyond Rwanda, echoing the broader historical and political experience of the continent. While colonial rule may have ended decades ago, he suggested that its psychological and economic influence remains deeply rooted in how the world engages with Africa — and how Africa engages with itself.

In the post-independence era, many African nations have continued to rely on external aid, often under conditions that limit national control over internal priorities.

Institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have, for years, required governments to adopt economic policies that include cutting public spending, liberalising markets, and pushing reforms that sometimes undermine local interests.

These conditions, framed in terms of governance and accountability, have placed many African countries in a cycle where aid is only granted after approval from donors—often reinforcing dependency and weakening domestic initiative.

Kagame made it clear that this is a cycle Africa must break.

Zimbabwe’s experience, especially following its controversial land reforms in the early 2000s, illustrates the price of resisting such external influence.

After the redistribution of land, the country faced crippling sanctions from the United States and European Union. International financial institutions cut off funding, plunging Zimbabwe into economic hardship.

However, Zimbabwe’s leadership has continued to defend its right to self-determination. According to the government, the country’s GDP has doubled since 2018, which it views as a testament to its endurance despite global pressure.

The African Union and the Southern African Development Community have consistently spoken out against the sanctions, describing them as punitive and counterproductive to regional progress.

For Kagame, the issue is not only about how foreign powers treat African nations, but also about how Africans allow themselves to be treated.

His message calls for a deeper self-awareness that moves beyond historical grievances to a present-day responsibility to act differently.

“And it’s as if we are going to do what is right because we have been instructed to do so. You Africans, you must be having problems accepting that for years,” he said.

To Kagame, the path to reclaiming dignity does not begin with international recognition but with rejecting everyday belittlement, questioning imposed standards, and choosing the right course of action based on African values and judgment.

He concluded with a firm reminder that the change Africa needs will not come from abroad, but from a deliberate decision to refuse old patterns and chart a future based on self-belief and courage.