Why Rwanda will not celebrate diamond independence jubilee

Friday, July 01, 2022 marks 60 years since Rwanda got independence, which would be a diamond jubilee. However, despite this being a public holiday, not much is expected. Basically, the day will be recognized but not celebrated. The reasons, according to different people who spoke to The New Times, is mainly because Rwanda’s independence was not fully complete by 1962 and it is marked only three days before Liberation Day, which is celebrated on July 4. Thus, if the government allocates funds towards organizing two public functions, it would be expensive. Commentators say the two events are virtually similar, and yet are almost mutually exclusive, and stand 32 years apart. In an interview with The New Times, Charles Murigande, a senior citizen who is also a seasoned politician, said that Rwanda marks the independence but with no celebrations as it would be excessive spending on two big celebrations that are days apart. “Celebrations are put on July 4 because it’s the day Rwanda realised full independence. What happened on July 1, 1962 was not full independence. Yes, we got our sovereignty as a country but a section of Rwandans was chased out of the country while some who stayed were persecuted, oppressed, considered secondary citizens and killed. It was until July 04, 1994 that Rwanda got fully independent,” said Murigande. Murigande who is an academic, a former minister and a retired diplomat, says that also we mark the independence day, there is much work that needs to be done in moving a country to being fully financially independent which he says is work in progress and achievable. Some political experts believe that Rwanda’s independence was just on paper and that is why there is nothing to celebrate for an independence. According to Senator Evode Uwizeyimana, what happened on July 1, 1962 was nothing close to an independence. To Uwizeyimana, it cannot be called an independence at the expense of people who were killed on that day and the days that followed up to July 04, 1994. “The first government of Gregoire Kayibanda embarked on persecution of a section of Rwandans. The same government was not able to take decisions by itself, major decisions were made in Brussels. This was followed by Habyarimana’s regime that was also not different in dividing Rwandans and killing a particular group. Habyarimanas government was also heavily influenced by the French. Rwanda was not independent,” said Uwizeyimana. Uwizeyimana poses a question; “On July 01, 1962 Tutsis were hunted, their houses burnt, others killed or forced into exile, what is there to celebrate about this day?” The Chairperson of the Pan-African Movement (PAM-Rwanda) Protais Musoni also shares the same views with others and he stated that independence day is a day to reflect on the history of the country, the pre-colonial, colonial eras and the periods that followed after. He pointed out that while Independence Day is important to Rwandans, Liberation Day is more meaningful because it anchors nationalism due to the achievements registered after it, mainly in terms of unity. “Independence was a symbol but not a complete independence that every Rwanda welcomed. We mark Independence Day and we value what our forefathers fought for. But we should note that after colonial rule, the same philosophy of divisionism persisted through the post-colonial era. And therefore, the liberation anchors nationalism more into the picture,” he said.

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Why Rwanda will not celebrate diamond independence jubilee