President Kagame on marriage dialogue has sparked nationwide reflection after he questioned why couples who voluntarily choose to marry fail to resolve conflicts peacefully. Speaking at a national gathering, the Rwandan leader emphasized patience, responsibility, and open communication as foundations for strong families and national stability.
President Kagame on marriage dialogue at the National Prayer Breakfast
President Paul Kagame made the remarks on February 1, 2026, while attending the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event dedicated to praying for Rwanda and giving thanks to God.
Addressing participants, the President openly questioned the breakdown of marriages despite couples entering unions by choice.
“How do two people fail to live together? If it were many people, one could understand, but two?” he asked.
“People are capable of tolerating each other. What happens for one to say to the other, ‘I don’t want you anymore’? What went wrong?”
President Kagame urges dialogue over separation
President Kagame stressed that conflicts are unavoidable in marriage. However, he insisted that separation should never be the first solution.
“Even if a problem exists, can’t people look at each other and talk, saying, ‘You shouldn’t do this, don’t do it again?’” he said.
“Where else will you go without finding similar problems?”
According to the President, dialogue allows couples to resolve misunderstandings before they escalate into long-term resentment or divorce.
Broken families and the impact on national development
Expanding beyond individual households, President Kagame linked family stability to Rwanda’s broader development.
“Think of the consequences if two, three, four, five, or even ten couples break up at the same time the country suffers,” he warned.
He concluded by urging citizens to take responsibility for their families.
“These are the efforts we should put in. Rwandans should embrace this spirit so that the country can continue to develop in the right way.”
Citizens respond to President Kagame’s marriage advice
Following the President’s remarks, several Rwandan couples told Afriwed that they immediately began reflecting on their own relationships.
Nyiramajyambere Claudette and Bonifase Rukundo, a couple from Muhanga, said the message encouraged regular communication at home.
“We realized that sitting down and talking regularly with your partner can prevent small disagreements from becoming serious problems,” they said.
Another couple, Tumukunde Alice and Patrick Hagabiyaremye, also from Muhanga, emphasized empathy and shared responsibility.
“Every family member has a role to play. Respecting each other’s responsibilities makes the household more peaceful,” they explained.
Rising divorce cases in Rwanda
Judicial statistics highlight why President Kagame on marriage dialogue resonated widely.
According to Rwanda’s courts, 2,674 divorce cases were registered during the 2024/2025 judicial year, slightly down from 2,833 cases the previous year. Despite the decline, divorce remains among the most common civil cases.
Legal experts note that divorce filings have increased steadily over the past decade, reflecting changing social pressures, economic stress, and weakened communication within families.
Marriage experts agree that patience, dialogue, and accountability remain key to lasting unions. President Kagame’s remarks reinforce the idea that strong families form the backbone of a stable society.
As Rwanda continues to develop, leaders and citizens alike emphasize that resolving family conflicts through conversation rather than separation benefits not only couples but the nation as a whole.