Rwanda building a generation of committed, engaged citizens

Editor, RE: “In the words of a villager...” (The New Times, January 7). Last month’s events in South Africa got me thinking and I want to share my thoughts here. As you know 1994 was an important year for South Africa. It ushered in change in South Africa as it did for Rwanda. In the former, black people were liberated from a murderous apartheid regime, while in the latter, a liberation movement halted a genocide and defeated a fascist regime. South Africa went on to foster reconciliation (thanks in large part to Nelson Mandela) but also embraced ethnic-based sharing, patronage and corruption enhancing programme, while Rwanda chose to focus on inclusive growth, justice and healing. Twenty-one years on, South Africa’s economy and social fabric are flushing down the vacuum pipe; the ruling party ANC still considers itself an anti-apartheid party and excuses its failure with an anti-apartheid rhetoric, forgetting that they have been in charge of the country for more than two decades. In Rwanda, the story is different; the determination to succeed is felt everywhere and generally no excuses are taken for not delivering at any level (a mayor would hardly argue with the genocidal legacy to underperform under the “imihigo” framework [performance contract]). All would be fine, I would say — then here comes the thing: when are we going to start measuring ourselves against our own records? Say, for instance, compare the year 2005 and 2015? No, 2010 and 2015 to gauge our government, nation’s performance? As you don’t want to compare learning skills of a student before the Google, smartphone era to the iPhone kids nowadays, so doesn’t it make sense to compare commutation means and economic performance? Gill

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Rwanda building a generation of committed, engaged citizens