Why is Braeckman surprised? It’s always the same double standards!

Of late, I am rediscovering in western journalism many expressions with racist tendencies, especially towards the black race. Though we live in modern times, we are still using the same double standards. Where is the journalism based on ethics and impartial analysis? That type of journalism is absent once it concerns the life, ideas, choices and rights of Africans. A good example is a recent blog post by Belgian journalist Colette Braeckman. She starts her post saying she was surprised that President Kagame, “strongman of Rwanda since 1994” and already elected twice, said it would be up to the people to decide on an extension for a third term. Why is she surprised? That our President submitted himself to the people? That he, an African, exhibits a democratic spirit? That the voice of an African nation could count? Is she surprised that Rwandans could re-elect President Kagame? If so was she shocked when Germany re-elected, for the fourth time, their “Ministerpräsident”, Angela Merkel or is it only a western prerogative? She states that 3.6 million Rwandans signed a petition addressed to the Parliament asking for revision of Article 101 of the Constitution, which limits the number of presidential terms to two. Three and a half million Rwandans must seem to our “Western friends” a small number for it not to count! Too small a number, even if it is more than half of our electorate that has expressed its deliberate choice. To confound the mathematics further in case some of her readers know how to count and could inadvertently understand that 3.6 million is significant, Braeckman explains that these signatories are so disenfranchised, have so little freedom, and are so impressionable that they sign in great numbers, following like sheep because they were afraid. Her sources also speak volumes. Similar to many Western journalists, she cites ‘anonymous observers’ about a subject regarding Rwandans. To her and others who share her school of thought, the opinion by those few anonymous people is worth more than that of 3.6 million responsible adult Rwandans. Again, simple mathematics does not apply when we are counting Africans. How many constitutions have “The democratic West” changed? Yet the world is quivering because Rwandans dare exercise a right to “a democratic choice” by changing theirs! Good old double standards! Especially since no one in the West was offended that some of them have never even had a constitution, like Britain for example. But in Rwanda, it is a problem if we want to change the one that we do have! Then come the usual threats announcing that some of our partners will “not allow” another mandate for the current president, or the changing of constitution. Rwandans have the right to have the constitution that they want, when they want it. Since universal the vote by suffrage was introduced by this very government, individuals have been driven to vote for their future, their interest, the interest of their family, their community, their province, their country, their region etc. Since when does one elect for reasons other than political reasons? Braeckman should remember that we are talking about political election of a Head of State and not the election of a Miss Rwanda, Miss Belgium or even Miss World! Rwandans demand the right to choose their political leaders because it is a right that no one can deny them - at least not democratically. Rwandans are led by a man who brilliantly guided our country out of chaos in 1994, to the current path of economic growth, attainment of the Millennium Development goals for health, education etc. Rwanda still has a long way to go to achieve the objectives of our Vision 2020. While Rwandans have understood, at least 3.6 million of them, that we need a man who has proven that he can guarantee protection against external threats like the FDLR, who will shield us against the killers of yesterday and today, who can lead us to win the battle against deniers of the Genocide, who led us to peace and reconciliation. And, beyond that, a man who has convinced all of us that poverty, chaos, disease, insecurity are not our destiny but a daily fight that concerns us first. Rwandans have this man. So, do not be surprised if more than half of the adults in this country want to keep him. Too bad if some people out there think that we do not have the right to think. Rwanda has been thinking and wants Kagame. The writer is the Minister of Health.

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Why is Braeckman surprised? It’s always the same double standards!