There are a few popular (and predictable) catch words and phrases for the typical newly arrived visitor to the country. When people come to Rwanda, some of the first words to emerge from their mouths are; ikivuguto, moto taxi (or taxi moto), itangazo, murakoze, murugo, umuganda, amakuru, amahoro, umva, umudugudu, Rwanda nziza, and inshuti, etc, etc. Since I earn a bigger slice of my bread through writing, I have since developed a deep attachment to words, especially words with good resonance and cadence and rhythm and tone and pitch and flair. And unknown to the typical foreign visitor to Kigali, there are a host of such words from which to pick, so why restrict yourself to the same old murakoze and umva and Rwanda nziza and umudugudu and ikivuguto every time that you feel a little more Rwandan? What happened to the good old adage, variety is the spice of life? Why be so stuck-up? So, in the true spirit of Rwanda nziza and Simply Rwandaful and Proudly Rwandan, let’s widen our scope –just a little bit. Let’s go to Bar Umucyo, my favorite Primus drinking point that I settled for purely on account of the name. Bar Umucyo sounds like a place from which beer tastes good, and indeed it does. After drinking one too many, we will be heading to the best-named Art houses in town for a spot of window shopping. Here, the names Inema, Ivuka, Uburanga, and Yego Arts immediately spring to mind. And talking of Yego Arts quickly reminds me of the urban hustlers at yegob.com. Being the urban hustlers they are, we won’t thank them for the job they are doing at yego-bee, which is how it is actually pronounced. Rather, we salute them. Big up on yourselves. I’m not sure if Belvedere is actually a Rwandan word, but what the heck? Where else do you find it in such wide circulation? I have a stash of old bus tickets that I keep as a reminder of some of my more memorable upcountry bus trips, and without a doubt, the tickets from the Belvedere Lines bus company are quite many. And the only reason is that the word Belvedere seems to resonate quite well in my ears. I also like the Virunga bus service because the name sounds just as good. However, I prefer hopping onto the Virunga Express as opposed to Virunga Business Class because I’m not a businessman. What I do for a living is known to all. Igihe.com and Inyarwanda.com will also be part of our itinerary because obviously they are named in the true spirit of Simply Rwandaful. Not to mention, of course, Imbaraga Internet Radio. “NPD CONTRACO AT WORK” is another phrase born out of the country that sounds good even before you get to know what it stands for. If I were to suggest a new name with a better local vibe for NPD Contraco, then without a doubt, it would have to be Duterimbere.
