Rwandans have no time for Ingabire’s divisive politics

Over the past couple of weeks, Rwanda’s media has been dominated by the return of Ingabire Victoire, the head FDU-Inkingi, an un-recognized political party. She has revealed that she will be among the candidates vying for the post of Rwandan president come the August presidential elections. Madam Ingabire’s presence in Rwanda after 16 years of self imposed exile didn’t only attract the attention of the local media but also that of several international ones including the BBC. Several ‘experts’ have been going on and on about the threat she poses the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and its presidential candidate; some even seem to think that the August 9th elections will the toughest challenge the RPF has ever faced- a challenge far greater than that posed by Faustin Twagiramungu in 2003. I strongly believe that there is no threat or even a small impact this so-called politician can cause to the ruling party. First of all, it is imperative that those people making these unfounded statements should recognize the fact that this woman has started off her campaign in an extremely stupid manner, forgive me for the strong language. A presidential aspirant in a country like Rwanda, which tasted the bitterness of divisionism that culminated into the Genocide that claimed up to a million people, ought to be a bit more nuanced in her approach. So for her to start her campaign with words that are intended to divide the people of Rwanda is not only a miscalculation but also a gross misinterpretation of the current Rwandan society. Her advisers should have told her, even before she landed at Kigali International Airport that Rwanda has moved beyond her cheap politics characterized by ethnic sentiments and hatred. Rwandans are now focused on developmental politics rather than those of destruction. Ingabire and her FDU-Inkingi cohorts should therefore be informed that such bad politics no longer have a place in the hearts of Rwandans. Those seeds have been uprooted and the remaining weeds are slowly withering off. Ingabire and her sympathizers should remember that while she was away, the RPF and President Paul Kagame were busy healing the hearts of Rwandans and engaging in developmental activities that uplifted the welfare of the Rwandan people and trust you me, the people are just beginning to reward them for their efforts. Mrs. Ingabire should also keep in mind that the government she is fighting is the same one that ushered in the democratic political dispensation that allows for free and fair competition in the political arena- something that was impossible just twenty years ago. Defeating such a popular regime is going to prove to be impossible. I have repeatedly told my fellow political analysts that the character of President Paul Kagame is totally unchallenged both morally and politically. The man has not only won international confidence and recognition for good governance but the domestic confidence as well- a confidence that is overwhelming. The infrastructural development that has been witnessed in Rwanda in only a period of 15 years manifests RPF’s desire to work for and develop the people of Rwanda; a feat that the people of Rwanda recognize and will surely reward with even more votes than they gave in 2003. phatari@yahoo.co.uk Patrick Hatari is a social commentator