On August 11, 2024, President Paul Kagame delivered a monumental inaugural speech that resonated not just within Rwanda, but across the entire Great Lakes Region of Africa.

The speech, which touched on the theme of sustainable peace, brought to the forefront the critical issue of citizenship rights, especially in the context of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Kagame’s words were powerful and direct, echoing the sentiments expressed by Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, in a similar context fifty-two years earlier.

In his speech, Kagame emphasized the collective responsibility required to achieve and maintain peace. He affirmed, "Peace cannot happen all on its own. We all have to do our part, and the right things, in order to achieve and sustain peace."

This statement underscored the notion that peace is not an automatic or natural state of affairs, but rather something that must be actively pursued and maintained by all stakeholders.

He further elaborated that this pursuit of peace should not be seen as a charitable act: "This should not be seen as a favour to anyone. For anyone to do what is needed for everybody to have peace can’t be a matter of favours being dished out. It is an obligation."

Kagame’s emphasis on peace as an obligation ties directly into the ongoing conflict in the Eastern DRC, where systemic issues such as the denial of citizenship rights have perpetuated cycles of violence and instability. He pointedly remarked, "In the end, when it doesn’t happen, that’s why people stand up and fight for it. It should be understood as a necessity, because it is a question of people’s rights and there cannot be real peace if those rights are not respected." This statement captures the essence of his argument: without the recognition and protection of basic human rights, including the right to citizenship, true and lasting peace cannot be achieved.

The issue of citizenship rights, particularly for marginalized communities like the Banyamulenge and other Tutsi populations in the DR Congo, has been a long-standing and deeply contentious one. Kagame's speech forcefully highlighted this, warning, "You can’t wake up one day and decide to deny whoever you want their citizenship rights and expect to get away with it." This statement draws attention to the arbitrary and often politically motivated decisions that have historically stripped certain groups of their nationality, leaving them stateless and vulnerable.

Convergence of ideas

Kagame’s remarks draw a clear parallel with a speech made by Julius Nyerere in August 21, 1972, where Nyerere spoke about the issue of citizenship at the Chang'ombe Teachers College in Dar es Salaam. Nyerere was responding to the expulsion of Ugandans of Asian origin by President Idi Amin Dada, a brutal action that rendered thousands of people stateless.

In his speech, Nyerere posed a moving question: "What does it mean, to say to a large group of people 'From today—or tomorrow, or next week—you citizens are no longer citizens'?" Nyerere's question underscored the absurdity and inhumanity of revoking citizenship, an act that leaves individuals without a country, without a home, and without basic rights.

Nyerere further emphasized the dire consequences of such actions, stating, "It means that they are people in the world who have no state, nor country; no place where they have a right to live." He elaborated on the physical and existential plight of those rendered stateless, asking, "Physically what do you do with such people?

If you give them thirty days to get out - or any other period - what do you do when it is expired? Where are they supposed to go - to the moon?" This vivid imagery highlighted the impossibility and cruelty of such a situation, where people are left without any viable options, effectively abandoned by the world.

Nyerere’s speech was not just a critique of Idi Amin’s policies but a broader condemnation of any government or regime that would deny its citizens their rights. He warned, "If a country expects other people to respect its passports, then it must respect them. Citizenship must be respected without discrimination, or it will be met with disrespect without discrimination." This statement is a clear call for mutual respect and the recognition that the denial of citizenship is not just an internal issue but one that has far-reaching consequences for international relations and human dignity.

Kagame’s speech in 2024 echoed these sentiments, particularly as he addressed the situation in the Eastern DRC. The denial of citizenship to the Banyamulenge and other Tutsi communities in the region has been a long-standing issue, dating back to the era of Mobutu Sese Seko. Despite the passing of decades, the world’s response to this crisis has been characterized by silence and inaction. Kagame’s speech highlighted the consequences of this silence, pointing out that it has only served to embolden those who perpetrate such injustices, leading to further violence and instability.

Kagame’s insistence on the necessity of addressing citizenship rights as a foundation for peace draws a direct line to Nyerere’s belief in the fundamental equality of all human beings. Nyerere, in his 1972 speech, declared, "The first statement of the TANU Creed says, ‘All men are equal, and Africa is one’. And the very first part is that all human beings are equal."

This assertion of equality was not just a philosophical statement but a moral imperative that demanded action. Nyerere warned that the failure to uphold this principle would lead to widespread suffering: "This being so, we have to accept that the exploitation, the humiliation, the suffering, of all men—wherever it takes place—means the exploitation, humiliation, and suffering of mankind. All men are reduced by it."

This principle of equality and the recognition of citizenship as a fundamental right were central to Nyerere’s and Kagame’s visions of peace. It is a call on the international community, including organizations like the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to take a stand against the injustices being perpetrated in the Eastern DRC. These bodies are obliged to interrogate their silence and inaction, since sustainable peace cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of conflict, particularly the denial of people’s inalienable rights.

The parallels between Kagame’s and Nyerere’s speeches are striking and serve as a powerful recap of the enduring relevance of these issues. Both leaders spoke out against the denial of basic human rights, particularly the right to citizenship, as a fundamental threat to peace and stability. Nyerere’s 1972 speech was a prescient warning about the dangers of such policies, and Kagame’s 2024 address is a touching reminder that these dangers are not just a thing of the past but are very much alive in the present.

As Kagame pointed out, "When it doesn’t happen, that’s why people stand up and fight for it." This statement encapsulates the inevitable outcome of denying people their rights: conflict. The situation in the Eastern DRC, where the failure to address citizenship issues has led to decades of violence, is a clear example of this. Kagame’s speech was not just a call for peace but a call for justice. It was a reminder that true peace can only be achieved when the rights of all people are respected and upheld.

A wake-up call

Nyerere’s warning from 1972 remains relevant today, particularly in the context of the DRC. He cautioned against the dangerous cycle of retribution and violence that can ensue when people are denied their rights, stating, "Sometimes we in Africa adopt the attitude that we have suffered so long it will be good for other people to suffer and see what it is like." This attitude, he warned, leads to further suffering and violence, perpetuating a cycle that can be difficult to break.

Kagame’s speech can be seen as a continuation of Nyerere’s legacy of advocating for the rights and dignity of all people. Both leaders recognized that peace cannot be achieved in a vacuum; it requires the active participation of all members of society and the recognition of the fundamental rights of all individuals. In the context of the Eastern DRC, this means addressing the longstanding issues of discrimination and exclusion that have fuelled the conflict for decades.

The denial of citizenship and the exclusion of certain groups from society are fundamental threats to peace and stability. As the world looks to address the ongoing conflict in the astern DRC, it must heed the warnings of both Kagame and Nyerere and take concrete steps to ensure that the rights of all people are respected, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. Only then can true and lasting peace be achieved in the region.