Change we can believe in

Vision 2020 is so far it’s kind of hard to envision. We expect better roads, improved living conditions and the kind of life that comes with being a first world country. Of course we have a long way to go and you must admit it’s going to be an upward struggle to even get halfway there. By Vision 2020 we will probably be grandparents looking back at 2009 with rose tinted glasses. Maybe by 2020 there will be a cure for Aids, maybe by 2020 ethnicity will be a thing of the past, maybe by 2020 the Rwandan franc will be stronger than the dollar, pound and the rand combined. It may be wishful thinking but it feels good to dream, doesn’t it? So what weird changes should we expect to see in vision 2020? In 2020, our taxis would have moved past the 17 sitter stage and become salon cars or huge comfortable 24 seater buses with aircon. There will be no need for a conductor (convoiyelle) and like many developed countries all we will need is a pre paid card to swipe our destination fee which partly has already been introduced by Kigali Bus Services (KBS). Earphones and individual screens will be provided to distract passengers from the fact that traffic is still a problem 10 odd years later. In 2020 we will have our first batch of veteran celebs, like Meddy, The Ben, Miss Channel, Miss Jojo, Ryderman, Rafiki and the rest will be old school. Entire raves will be dedicated to their hits. Rwandan music will be what New Jack and soul are to our generation. The current batch of veteran celebs like Cecilia Kayirebwa and Ben Rutabana will make way for slick up and comers, possibly even their own kids. Some of these celebs will still be enjoying their careers though and possibly performing with their kids on the same stage. After Hollywood, Bollywod and Nollywood will be Hillywood. A successful Rwandan movie industry that will feature blockbusters like ‘love is pain’, ‘shooting dogs’ that’s based on a true story and many other productions that will keep us entertained and hopefully saved from some of the crap that Hollywood force feeds us with. Fashion is cyclical, what was in ten years ago, is back in fashion now albeit with a twist. Think I’m lying? Look at the trend of high tops and pre shrunk jeans, a whole 1980s phenomenon back with a bang and yes Kigali has not been left behind. Then we have the haircuts that look like they are straight out of a Salt ‘n Pepa scrapbook. The saying goes that there is nothing new under the sun so we may just as well get to see tois re-rocking looks from the early 1990s.Rwandan music is often criticised for sounding the same, across the board. All rap songs sound like cheering songs and all love songs talk about the same thing. Well, change is coming, maybe by the time 2020 rolls around, the direction artistes take with their music will be totally different. And with Rwandan artistes penchant for experimentation you can bet there will be all sorts of genres sprouting up. Unfortunately, we may be too old to shake a leg with the best of them. From the stanky leg to the gully creeper the new dance styles the high school kids are doing have me scratching my head. Well, they will probably be doing the same thing in 2020 when their younger counterparts come up with whatever weird steps their adolescent minds can conjure in order to rule the dance floor. dedantos2002@yahoo.com