Kagame signifies continental awakening

Dear Editor, This is in reaction to Arthur Asiimwe’s article, “Kagame’s critics need fresh ideas that appeared in The New Times of January 18, 2013.

Sunday, January 20, 2013
Rusizi residents welcome President Kagame to Kamembe Stadium on Friday. The New Times/File.

Dear Editor,This is in reaction to Arthur Asiimwe’s article, "Kagame’s critics need fresh ideas that appeared in The New Times of January 18, 2013.  These haters (international media, foreign offices, lawmakers of mainly UK and US) seem not to be seeing something that is here with us. Kagame is now a movement. And not just in Rwanda. Honest and objective people who travel across Africa and other parts of the world can bear me out on this. But to Rwandans, Kagame means resistance to bullying from wherever it comes, truth and objectivity no matter how uncomforting, seriousness about growth and development no matter the odds, self reliance no matter the means, saying ‘NO’ to begging no matter our poverty. He also represents zero tolerance to corruption no matter how deeply entrenched, empowerment of the poor and downtrodden via conventional and unconventional means. Kagame means perhaps the lowest mortality rate ever to the Rwandan mother and child, an iron roof on every dwelling house in Rwanda, universal health, smooth roads across the country, universal and free 12 year basic education. Kagame means a highly politically-aware population whether RPF or not and a highly mobilised private sector. Kagame means pride in accounting for public funds to the last penny by everyone, junior or senior alike. Kagame means a national army and police force that are law abiding and do not commit any kind of violations against citizens. Kagame means a national, if not continental awakening, a new thinking and a new approach to Rwanda’s and Africa’s path to progress. He is simply no longer an individual, he is a movement. The haters may like this or not but realising it’s the truth would at least help them repackage their venom.Hope Mile 40 Nyamirambo, Kigali