Policies that are aimed, in good faith, to improve or guide society are never done on the run. Many things have to be taken into consideration: Is it necessary? Will it not disrupt otherwise calm and collected surroundings? How easy is it to enforce? How much will it cost? … And many others.

Last week two things were trending in the local media; however unrelated they were, they ignited a healthy social debate that has still not died down yet.

The first that is bound to have the highest impact on society is a set of new rules to govern how Kinyarwanda should be written. The other, somewhat minor debate was the noise pollution policy that has seen some entertainment and religious establishments shut down by the police, some arrests were even recorded.

The two topics showed that people do not take change lightly; there is always a fear of the unknown hovering over them, but it is not their fault.

Had the Rwanda Academy of Languages and Culture carried out widespread consultations and sensitised the population on why the changes were necessary, we would not have had this current hullabaloo.