The quest for liberation and why we must sustain momentum beyond 2017

Rwanda’s liberation heroes challenged the orthodox that divided Rwandan people along ethnic lines. Indeed, the liberation icons relentlessly believed that one section of the population cannot forever remain refugees, while those inside the country suffered injustices at the hands of a fascist regime. On that basis, they launched a struggle for a united and dignified Rwanda. This is why, following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and the total collapse of Rwanda’s social fabric, the Government devised and implemented a vision of co-existence between Rwandans of all backgrounds – Hutu, Tutsi and Twa – and emphasized the virtues and ethos of being Rwandan. This approach to governance was a key tenet of the liberation struggle and further entrenched as part of the government policy which has resulted into unprecedented social, economic and political transformation. It is this ideological mindset and liberation philosophy that led to RPF not only stopping the Genocide against the Tutsi but, also over the years, establish programmes aimed at reconciling and unifying the country against genocide-based politics. The journey to reconciliation has included providing justice to the victims of the 1994 Genocide, building institutions to fight against genocide ideology and re-establishing the spirit of togetherness. More still, the forward thinking and progressive politics advanced by RPF have resulted into the miraculous rebirth of a stronger and united Rwanda. As we celebrate our country’s liberation, it is important to reflect on this unique journey and how we can further deepen the socio-economic transformation that’s taking place. This is critical considering that Rwanda’s past history did not offer much hope because of the systemic governance failures, authoritarian rule, entrenched ethnic tensions, corruption and a spiral of extra judicial killings. Manifestly, the failure of state institutions to galvanize citizens into productive means of labour and the use of government structures as instruments of social disharmony, culminated into the horrors of 1994 Tutsi genocide. Rwanda’s post liberation story speaks volumes. Twenty-one years after the Genocide, the tide of history is changing; Rwanda is experiencing significant improvement in reducing poverty levels, women and youth empowerment, transparency and accountability, democratic governance, respect for the rule of law and a profound mindset shift towards self-reliance. The depth and quality of reforms and the increasing levels of efficiency are well captured in numerous governance and business surveys conducted periodically by reputable institutions. Consistently, Rwanda ranks favourably across all indicators. For instance, in the 2015 World Bank ‘Doing Business Report’, Rwanda is ranked as the third easiest place to do business in Africa after Mauritius and South Africa. Yet, despite evident achievements, liberation is far from over and the next phase of liberation, which includes total eradication of poverty, maintaining the prevailing stability and economic development requires even more resilience. Moreover, as we celebrate our liberation journey, we are equally reminded that genocidal forces are still at large and continue to regroup in different forms. Negative groups such as FDLR and some members of the international community still harbour and promote genocide ideology with a view to destabilise Rwanda. There is no doubt our country has achieved more than the cynics predicted but we still have many more milestones to make, and hurdles to overcome in order to fully optimise Rwanda’s potential. This is why the current pace of development, stability and transformation must be maintained beyond 2017. More broadly, lessons from Rwanda’s extraordinary recovery clearly demonstrate that leadership and stability are ultimately the most important deciders without which the future remains uncertain. As a country, we can have no better champion than President Paul Kagame who has not only firmly managed the nuances of genocide ideology but also continues to steer our country to economic prosperity and social co-existence. President Kagame’s citizen-centered approach to governance explains why over 3.5 million Rwandans have rightly petitioned Parliament to lift presidential term limits in the Constitution. In essence, therefore, the post-2017 constitutional debate is less about term limits but more about liberating Rwandans from poverty and creating the right incentives for Rwanda to achieve middle income status and more. Put more succinctly, amending the Constitution is about the right to self-determination and embedded within this, is the right of Rwandans to maintain the current peace and stability without which we cannot speak of economic development and dignity. To our liberation heroes, led by President Kagame, happy Liberation Day, your values live on and the Rwandan spirit is stronger because of your sacrifices. The writer is an Investment/International Law Lawyer, and a commentator on national and regional issues. rkarugarama@yahoo.com

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The quest for liberation and why we must sustain momentum beyond 2017