Many African countries have a tendency of counting their age from the time they got independence. Literally, they did not exist before then. So, without breaking that line of logic, Rwanda could be said to be 54 years today. But is it really? When many African countries began gaining their independence in the early 60s, there were a lot of expectations. Africa was at last going to join the body of nations equipped with ambitious prospects. It was not long before they realized that the independence was just hot air. They were caught in the whirlwind of the Cold War and financial entrapment from the Britton Woods institutions. Today, one could say that many are a shadow of themselves before they attained independence, and only survive on handouts from their former masters who use it as leverage to advance their interests. That Damocles’ sword is hanging over the heads of many and it is not ready to move soon if Africans do not devise means of weaning themselves off aid. Rwanda is very much aware of the dangers of living on the aid precipice and has, therefore, devised policies to change course, and every year it is getting closer to the goal. Had previous governments embarked on nation building instead of ethnic cleansing and kleptocracy, today the country would be an aid donor and its people living better. So, it is not surprising then, that in 1978 – 15 years after independence – Rwanda’s literacy rate stood at 38 per cent. And yet just 15 years after the Rwanda Patriotic Front took over it had shot to over 70 per cent. So one would not be wrong to suggest that Rwanda is not 54, but a very young and energetic 22-year old with better prospects ahead.
