Rwandans; Is Kagame willing to give power to You?

By Eleneus Akanga

The planning had been as meticulous as the voting that preceded this event. Having successfully come through as winner of the predictable presidential election on August 9, this was a day Kagame and his supporters knew was coming. And boy, did they plan.

After all, Kigali is known for its pristine and tidy streets, so most of their job was already cut. A few decorations here and there and everything would be in motion. People were asked to turn up in numbers and business in the city, especially near the national stadium came to a standstill. If you did not make it to the stadium due to heavy security or venue capacity limits, you had no reason not to stay at home and watch it on national television. Giant screens were erected around for those that would claim they did not have televisions at home.

Somewhere across town, the cult figure that is Paul Kagame prepared to cut his cake and serve it, as dignitaries from far and near, ensconced themselves in comfy seats, waiting to witness history. Oh yes, history! History because not long, someone would stand in their midst, take his oath and become the first ever head of state to assume a second seven year term in office. To put this in context, that is 2 years short of 3 presidential terms in any of his neighbouring countries and 2 years short of a possible 4 American Presidents, assuming each served only one term, or 2 if each served the legally accepted 2 terms.

This was a day that had come right on the heels of mounting pressure on Kigali. Pressure – resulting from heavy criticism of a regime and government that the guest of honour understands as being on the right path. If there was going to ever be an opportunity for President Kagame to put one past his critics or for Kigali to express how confused and angry it is at those who continue to question its style of leadership, his overall judgement, or his role in the politics of the region, this was it.

And he took the invite it with open arms. “It is difficult for us to comprehend those who want to give us lessons on inclusion, tolerance and human rights. We reject all their accusations. Self-proclaimed critics of Rwanda may say what they want, but they will neither dictate the direction we take as a nation, nor will they make a dent in our quest for self determination,” he roared.

With his face grimacing in what some will have viewed as fear as opposed to his cowboy seriousness, the one time member of Africa’s new brood of leaders continued:

“These external actors turn around and promote the dangerous ideas of those who have fallen out with the system; ignoring the choices of the majority of our people … it is evidence of hypocrisy and a patronizing attitude towards our entire continent”.

For all his greatness and his one time grand vision for the country, President Kagame remains a peculiar character. For reasons well known to him, he views critics as self styled. He has never understood or blatantly chooses to ignore that critics are what any one needs to be perfect. He has this feeling that for some weird reason or a deliberate sort of raison d’être, certain people hate him and his people. And he can’t stand these critics leave alone the thought of getting lessons from them.

As someone who is understood to have brought an end to the genocide (some contest this), Kagame would rather he earned maximum praise. He sees Rwanda as his brain child, a nation which needs him so badly, that without him, it would extinguish away in flames. He also sees the world, as gradually ganging up against him by siding with or lending a few ears to his critics. And for this he wants a fight.

The Kagame we saw today is the Kagame we saw some 3 years ago in front of dignitaries at then Hotel Intercontinental, chastising and directly telling off dignitaries most notably the French ambassador to Rwanda at the time for his country’s decision to prosecute some of his men. Now, fighting for fellow countrymen is a sign of solidarity, but this fight has got to be both reasonable and appropriate. President Kagame needs to know that sometimes, over reaction, can come through either as a sign of guilt or weakness.

While I understand his anger and his desire to put his point across, I am not overly convinced that he has to use his swearing in ceremony to moralize his beatitudes.  Anyone would be angry. Everyone human would be so angry if after years of innocence, their army as well as their person suddenly stood accused of crimes against humanity – especially by an organisation they themselves accuse of folding its arms against them when they needed help. Angry rhetoric is no solution. While it may help send a clear message to your accuser to expect a tough fight, like I said before, it risks creating the impression that the noisemaker is wary of something.

Mr. President, everyone remembers how easily you swept through the election, winning 93 percent of the vote. We know too that according to you, dependency on aid and not the lack of democracy is Africa’s major problem. Is it not fair that after all these years in power, you should return power to the people as provided for in the constitution, decentralise power and provide for free speech and press freedom. And that way, “we the people” can have a proper debate on the way forward for this wonderful nation that you so easily are tilting towards a dictatorship?

Kagame, his oath and why he will need more Rick Warrens

By Eleneus Akanga

President Paul Kagame today took the stand to proclaim his oath and willingness to lead Rwanda but if events of yesteryear and weeks gone by are to be taken into perception, he is a man who despite the massive turn out, will need alot of prayers.

Pastor Rick Warren, the American Evangelist and a close friend of Kagame was there to usher in a new era. An era of prayer. Paul Kagame’s supporters want to believe that the whole world is against them just like it supports them. It is a conundrum that Rwanda’s iron man finds himself in. A very powerful source in government said to me this morning that Kagame and almost all his supporters around the world are yet to understand why the coin has suddenly flipped and why the great coverage that their leader has so often enjoyed, seem to be ebbing.

There is a story going on in Rwanda that had it not been for the  leaked UN report alleging complicity by the Rwandan army in crimes against humanity and a possible genocide committed in the Congo, President Kagame would have loved to see his swearing in postponed to Sept 12, given that this was the same time he took his last oath, some seven years ago.

Things have been rushed, and while there may be an issue of a constitutional challenge to the legality of this swearing in ceremony, it is believed Kagame’s friends in the US wanted this done with as soon as. Rick Warren, the maverick pastor from America who Kigali wanted to start a prayer era was also in doubt of attendance if the swearing in had been pushed to Sept 12, as this is a day after the US commemorates the Sept 11 attack on the twin towers – and a commemoration Pr. Warren never wanted to miss.

Rwanda is going through a stern test. For years, President Kagame has enjoyed a soft landing from all corners of the world, including members of the worlds leading media. Today, this view has changed, his style of leadership has come under heavy scrutiny. People are even questioning his integrity. His attempts to silence critics has not paid off  either. Not even his idea to employ the services of leading PR agency has been effective. And when everything is not working, God is the last resort. But to get to God, you need a strong conviction, a conviction that you are innocent, clean and free or at least void of cardinal sins.

The decision by Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete to send delegations to this swearing-in ceremony when they as members of the East African Community to which Rwanda belongs – should have attended, will also raise a few suspicions. Why, some people may ask? Jakaya and Museveni have issues of their own. Presidential elections in Uganda are coming soon and Mr. Museveni has got to be careful who he hops around with. He would have considered this a not so smart move given the flak that Kagame has received in recent months. Who wants to associate themselves with a man whose popularity is dwindling anyway?

But what of Jakaya? Tanzania, remember remains the only country in the region, to have produced a visionary leader -one of Africa’s greatest statesmen, Julius Kambalage Nyerere. There was a time when as Kagame enjoyed a free ride with the world’s media, some sections had started mounting the suggestion that he was a statesman, in the same ranks as Mwalimu Nyerere, Osajefo Kwame Nkrumah and at one time on facebook, Madiba Nelson Mandela. Jakaya is aware of this. He is also aware that the charm himself and his country have previously enjoyed from the US is dwindling and he sees Kagame and Rwanda as his definite substitutes given the latter’s proximity to the Democratic Republic of Congo. He would be playing silly, not to act carefully.

The good news to Rwanda is that at least DRCs Joseph Kabila turned up. Notice too that it was President Kabila who received the most rapturous welcome as he made his way into the stadium. Yes, thunderous if you may.  A perfect statement  to the watching and listening world that Kigali still enjoys great relations with Kinshasha and that the recent reports about a report linking Kigali to atrocities in Congo has not done any damage to this “special relationship”.

Kagame has never shied away from giving a proper fight. Already his government has threatened the UN that they will withdraw troops from any where in the world that they are deployed should the organisation go ahead and publish the leaked report. Blackmail you may say, yes but not to Kagame. Already, the trick is working, the Un has said they wont be publishing the report until after this month to give the countries involved some time to mount a defence? Plausible? Well, somehow logical but why would you want to warn someone about a report that is meant to detail what happened, if you know that what is contained in the report is true? Principle of natural justice perhaps.

Anyway, President Kagame is now a full head of state for another cool seven years. He has much to do and there certainly is much to come. It is good he has the services of Pastor Warren at his disposal. He will need these men of God or “prophets of capitalism” depending on how you want to call them. Rwanda needs prayers, thinks Kagame. Not at all, Rwanda needs reforms claims his critics. Whatever the case, President Kagame now realises that the time is now for a change in the way he has always conducted his business and he will need some deeper reforms if he is to regain the good man status that he for so many years enjoyed.