Humans! When you think they are evolving into civilised beings, they explode into uncontrolled lunacy somewhere in a certain community to prove you wrong. After the machete wielding maniacs of Rwanda in 1994, you would think that others learnt a lesson; only to see Kenya erupting into machete brandishing madness. When I hear and sometimes see what is taking place in Kenya, I reflect on what happened in Rwanda and the human value Rwandans have. Luckily, there were individuals who were proud to be Rwandan, and who fought selflessly, and at great risk, upheld the value of Rwandans wherever they were. In 1961, I met a guardian angel for the first time in Rwanda. I was then a struggling young cattle herder, freshly introduced into the rough-and-tumble of a cowboy’s world. Those of you who were not born yesterday will recall 1961 as the year of mock referendum in Rwanda (‘kamarampaka’); stage-managed by the colonial administration. The ‘Parmehutu’ party was handed the vote and the losers were either forced back into exile or killed. Before those of us who survived went back into exile, we had to live by our duties. It was in the line of such duties that I accompanied our head herdsman, Ntibikwira, to take cows to the spring. As I trudged from the spring, leading calves behind Ntibikwira, I felt a sharp knock on my head and saw a thousand beautiful stars, which later passed. I looked up, only to see a dazzling exchange of sticks. Four burly herdsmen were trading stick blows with Ntibikwira, and not necessarily having an easy time of it, shouting at him never again to attempt water the ‘inyenzi’ (cockroach) cows before they watered theirs. After taking in the situation, I slowly lifted myself up and then picked up my ‘umuzo’ stick. I opted for the ankle of the biggest herdsman, summoned all my strength and knocked the ankle and then swiftly ran uphill. The man made a yelp and started waving his foot in the air, clutching his ankle, as he skipped on one foot, shouting after me and promising death to “that ugly son of a snake”. Meanwhile, our herdsman, Ntibikwira, seized the chance of the reduced number of the men and increased his salvo of stick blows. The three men tried to put up a spirited fight but, seeing that their head hoodlum had been put out of action, they lost their nerves and took to their dirty heels. Ntibikwira had almost been killed because of me. The following year we found ourselves exiled in Congo Kinshasa (today’s DR Congo), the natives of the land received us well. Unfortunately, by 1963, they seemed to feel that we had outlived our welcome, and started to harass and persecute us. That is how another guardian angel came up, in the name of Karipofori. Karipofori was a lanky young man with hands like those of a gorilla, who loved his bottle of local banana brew. He was known for his quick anger and hard slaps than for his love of beer. Wherever he was, he would drop his calabash of local brew if he learnt that a Munyarwanda was insulted. In our area, he spread such terror in the whole local Congolese community that they were forced to show us respect, even when they never felt it at heart. Nyarwaya never used a stick or a weapon of any sort. He used to pick two Congolese men by their necks, one in each hand, and knocked their heads together, only to drop them later. Word had spread throughout the whole region of Eastern Congo Kinshasa that no one could dare insult a Rwandan refugee. The Congolese army ejected us out of the country. Needless to say, the ultimate guardian angels were the young men and women of RPA who lastingly restored the pride of every Rwandan. With a combination of brute force and intellectual manoeuvre, they were able to defeat the self-despising Rwandan stooges of neo-colonialism, who were driving their fellow Rwandans to definite death. With a combination of necessary force and diplomatic coaxing, they were able to defeat the self-despising Rwandan stooges of neo-colonialism, who were driving fellow Rwandans to death. Thanks to RPF/A that Rwanda can now host the most influential leader on planet earth. Welcome to Rwanda, President George W. Bush! Contact: ingina2@yahoo.co.uk
