Thank you, Rwanda

I had looked forward to the privilege of meeting Paul Kagame, the inspirational leader who has guided Rwanda from grass to grace, but it was not to be. He couldn’t manage to squeeze an appearance at the African Public Relations Association (APRA) conference into his tight schedule. However, evidence of Kagame’s good work was everywhere. It […]

I had looked forward to the privilege of meeting Paul Kagame, the inspirational leader who has guided Rwanda from grass to grace, but it was not to be. He couldn’t manage to squeeze an appearance at the African Public Relations Association (APRA) conference into his tight schedule. However, evidence of Kagame’s good work was everywhere. It was such a pleasure to be able to truthfully say that Rwanda is a sojourner’s delight, a pride to Africa and a lesson in the infinite possibilities open to any society blessed with visionary leadership.

For a country which 25 years ago, was the theatre of a genocidal campaign in which one million souls perished in 100 days of untold savagery while the world stood akimbo, Rwanda is, today, Africa’s poster boy in good governance, discipline and social order.

How did they do it?

They are blessed with a focussed leadership determined to weld the people together as one indivisible unit. The government banned tribal classifications. Gone are the days of Hutus and Tutsis. All citizens are now simply Rwandese. The ghosts of the past have been  laid to rest by coming to terms with the genocidal past through a fitting Memorial and an elaborate reconciliation exercise whose mantra is forgiveness. National healing is an ongoing process but there is no doubt that the Rwandese are confronting the challenges of life and marching into a prosperous future as a team.

When you exit the modest Kigali International Airport, the first thing that hits you is the sense of order. There are no touts. The streets are incredibly clean. As the government’s vision is to run a green city, polyethylene bags are not allowed. Travellers are warned not to use plastic bags because those materials are not biodegradable. Supermarkets, food vendors and other sales outlets use brown paper bags instead. You will not find a single sachet of ‘pure water’ anywhere in Rwanda.

The sense of order is accentuated by the orderly taxi ranks and the neatly aproned commercial motorcyclists who compulsorily convey one passenger at a time. All commuters on motorcycle  wear crash helmets.

The highways are not elaborate, but they are well maintained. Observance of road courtesy made driving pleasurable. No one drove against traffic. No VIO’s. No road marshals. Just the occasional policeman. Security is tight. Armed soldiers are unobtrusively positioned around strategic areas. They look young, vibrant, ready to go. The pace of life is not frenetic. People are not in a blind hurry. A visitor from a more dysfunctional clime might think they are too slow.

Kigali is the second most popular destination in Africa for international meetings and events. Tourism is the country’s largest foreign exchange earner, accounting for 20 per cent of all tourism revenues.

Having banished ethnicity, the Rwandans treat religion as a private matter. Unlike many African countries where ethnicity and religion are used by politicians to divide the people, Rwandans rather take pride in their nationhood. They are happy to show you around. Every Rwandan I met was a salesman for his country. Many of those in government are young, well educated and forward-looking. Women account for fifty percent of the Cabinet.

Each government ministry has a Mission, Vision and Objectives. And, as Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Dr Richard Sezibera, confirmed – any minister or government appointee who doesn’t meet his or her annual performance target is shown the door. No room for deadwoods!

The West would have us believe that democracy is about tenured leadership. With what I’ve seen in Rwanda, I agree with the Yoruba proverb that you can suck several baskets-full of orange if the fruit tastes like honey.

Some of the most ‘democratic’ nations in Africa are also some of the most backward. Who says rotation of power between various parties or individuals is the only road to progress and social justice? While there are many lofty things to be said for ‘democracy’, evidence abounds that the narrow definition propagated by the West cannot be universally applicable. One size doesn’t fit all.

The 31st APRA conference with the theme, “Africa and Storytelling …Changing the Narratives”, turned out to be the best so far in many respects. We are all reminded of the African proverb that, until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.

Nobody can tell the African story better than the African. It is about time Africa took up the responsibility of projecting itself positively. To do this effectively, African governments must invest in their people and enthrone good governance. Thankfully, Rwanda provides a ready template of the infinite possibilities achievable when visionary leadership is at the helm. Nigeria and other African countries have a thing or two to learn from Kagame’s country.

I commend President Kagame’s recent admonition to all tenants of power all over Africa: “When you have been pressed by problems, there are two people who emerge: those who are crushed by the pressure and give up, or these pressures can form you into something that is going to stand the test of time.” And we have to take responsibility for our actions for, as Kagame notes,  we “cant blame other people for our own problems, the biggest part of the problem is ourselves.”

Rwanda is a metaphor for the new Africa. Whereas foreign storytellers are stuck in their characterisation of Africa as the land of poverty, ignorance and wars, Rwanda is rewriting the African story. Anyone interested in evidential rebuttal of the lie that Africans can’t manage their own affairs should flaunt Rwanda. Thank you, Rwanda!