Learning from President Kagame’s leadership

In the heart of Africa lies a country nowadays being referred to by some as the Singapore of Africa due to its rapid unprecedented development. That country is Rwanda, a place that is renowned for its endearing nature, the land of a thousand hills. Leaders from around the world, dignitaries and diplomats, have praised the country for its significant progress from the doldrums of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Rwanda is a stable country. Its capital city, Kigali, is possibly the cleanest in the world, one of the reasons why in recent times the world has developed appetite for the city and the confidence to bring their meetings, conferences, exhibitions, and summits here. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the AU Commission Chairperson, recently observed that from her experience with the African Union, vast as it is, the 27th AU Summit, held in in Kigali, July 2016, was the first time she had experienced what she called “The best summit with an impeccable organisation in an immaculate city.” In 1994 Rwanda was the site of darkness. No one could believe that just 22 years late it would be the site for some of the most important global gatherings including hosting an event the caliber of the African Union Summit or even the World Economic Forum. It puzzles all. However, it shouldn’t be that puzzling, really. Here is the secret: You can’t begin to comprehend any of this unless you first grasp that driving engine behind it: it’s the leadership of President Paul Kagame. John C. Maxwell says it well. For him, ‘everything rises and falls on leadership.’It is a statement that is very apt when it comes to understanding what has taken place in rwanda over the past 22 years: the stewardship of President Paul Kagame. It has instilled confidence in Rwandans and has helped them to transform their lives. As a result of this exemplary leadership, others want to come to Rwanda to also get inspired, to learn and try to replicate the same in their own countries. This is what makes his leadership different. First, he is close to the people. It is very rare to find a head of state holding convivial talks with citizens, listening to them and addressing their problems, one who makes citizen outreach a priority. This yields enormous trust and confidence in his leadership. Second, he has zero tolerance for poor performance. If you pay attention you notice that the President’s tone changes whenever he comes across underperforming leaders who undermine development efforts. This happens to leaders at all levels whether they are in very high places or in the lower levels. Third, he allows no room for complacency. The President doesn’t rest on his laurels. Instead, he is one to remind Rwandans that the journey that is still ahead to “get where we want to be” is still long. Similarly, he never fails to take every chance he gets to remind leaders, whether it’s during leadership retreats or during umushikirano, that they should avoid complacency, and that they should draw strength from criticism. Often he says, “Listen to those who criticise you more than those who praise you.” For such a statement to come from a head of state speaks volumes. It speaks to the standards that he has for himself and his people. These three reasons form the bedrock of why many at home and abroad hold him in high esteem. It’s why they admire him and consider him to be their role mode. It’s why they either invite him to inspire them or they come here to get inspired. The lessons are clear. First, leaders should muster the courage to get closer to the people they lead. Second, they should be accountable towards them. Third, they shouldn’t be complacent and certainly they shouldn’t place the bar so low that success is easy to achieve. The write is a student at the University of Rwanda in the College of Medicine and Health sciences Twitter: @fhumura

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Learning from President Kagame’s leadership