The party plates and cups are back in storage, the floors have been swept and everything put back in place. A few hangovers here as should be expected a day after Rwanda’s favourite festivity – Bonane (New Year). The fireworks were spectacular; the President gave another pep talk to encourage the people to work even harder and achieve even more. There was this sense of satisfaction that the year had been fruitful because sweat had been added into the mix. Gratefully, there were no major incidents and the deadly heavy rains that had caused havoc a few days before thankfully remained in the skies. The Traffic Police was on the alert continuously urging people to exercise caution. With only three traffic fatalities in the whole country, one can say the people headed the police’s call. Thus the country saw the attainment of a challenge it had set itself back in 2000 when it launched Vision 2020. It had given itself a tall order, and for some sceptics, it was punching above its belt. But sheer grit and determination drove the dream home. Now it has set itself another longer and more difficult challenge; the new Vision 2050. This is even more ambitious to the extent that the government says the next 30 years “captures the country’s high aspirations for future security, prosperity, and modernity. It sets a target of achieving upper-middle income status by 2035 and high-income status by 2050, so sustaining high rates of inclusive economic growth will be vital”. Dreaming big is not new to this country’s vocabulary because it has become part of its genes. But to dream is one thing, achieving the dream is another.
