Rwanda is one of the few African countries that are blessed to have leaders who are thoroughly immersed in patriotism, nationalism, philanthropy and realism. I was born in a neighbouring country about 68 years ago, but I still consider Mr. Kagame my president because Rwanda is my homeland and a source of pride for me. My father was born in Mukarange, and my mother was born in Kitazigurwa. Dad left Rwanda in 1939 for work just as many others who left for various reasons including political ones, ethnic ones or even economic ones. When my father left Rwanda and settled in Uganda, he went through bitter experiences of suffering inferiority. Such was mainly as a result of the state in which he and many others arrived in their respective countries of sojourn. They arrived in a despicable way, walking barefooted, wearing patched shorts and shirts, hustling to get a livelihood. This gave a poor impression of Rwandans and their homeland to the host countries. Such an impression lingered on until the past few decades when it was obliterated by the works of President Kagame. With the Rwanda that we have today, Rwandans are respected across the world. We are proud to identify ourselves as Rwandans. The attitudes of the communities among which we live have changed. This is all credit to President Kagame. Julius Nyerere, the former president of Tanzania once complained about the so-called African statesmen who take up arms to fight under the guise of liberating their countries yet in real sense, they are fighting to liberate coffee plantations and industries for the good of themselves and their families. President Kagame is the opposite. If you compare Rwanda of the past and that of today, there is a big difference in many aspects. So, the struggle by President Kagame and the RPF-Inkotanyi has yielded great results for the Rwandan people. When I first came to Rwanda years after the Genocide against the Tutsi had happened, I entered through the eastern border. As we drove through the roads, I felt calm in my mind and fell in love with the things I saw. The cleanliness, the lights on the streets, the infrastructure! Even more important is the unity of Rwandans that is now greater and stronger, thanks to Kagame's leadership. The discipline of the army, the conservation of wildlife, the increasing industrialisation, the homegrown initiatives like Umuganda and so on, are all good things for which we are very proud. Today, Rwanda is a country that is admired not only by those living within it, but also the diaspora and even foreigners. May the good work continue. The writer is a 68-year-old retired educator living in the diaspora.
