A political homework: Readers’ digest Part II

This second in series of readers’ common strand of arguments and concerns captures more of what we have in the exemplary leadership of President Paul Kagame, and the consequences of losing the same through change in our current political dispensation. A large proportion of readers are in consensus that change in political dispensation will certainly change everything Rwanda today. These also agree with my thesis that, this change will certainly be for worse so they conclude. They then question how we as a people, and country, can manage this change, and get the best out of it given the uniqueness of our country. I personally have made it very clear that, we have zero options on this. History can judge me otherwise.A common strand argument that stands out as a deal breaker for our existing social fabric and one that exemplary leadership has managed against all humanly possible odds, among others, is our past sectarian system that had become a cultural norm, a national identity and gave a sense of entitlement to one section of our society at the expense of the rest.Hutu-Tutsi-Twa divide an enigma?President Kagame has held this otherwise extreme divide cohesive, so much so that he has become a force that stood between this fatal divide, and held them together so much so that, all have accepted and believed in his unity model, without which the ghosts of abnormal Rwanda would be alive and kicking among and between us, with their disrupting consequences. President Kagame has succeeded to unite the hitherto extremely divided Rwandese society of Hutu-Tusti-Twa divide, which although was a creation of colonial hegemony, had become part and parcel of Rwandan society so much so that, genocides of 1959, 1973, and 1994 were facilitated in part by this fatal divide unseen anywhere in post colonial Africa divide-and-rule systems. That President Kagame has been a pacifier in such a short period of time is a miracle in itself and is central to his moral authority and legitimacy peculiar to his persona, which is neither transferable, endorseable nor politically negotiable. Readers of these series argue that, his strong leadership personality has been bought above face value by parties to the divide that, no other leader will marshal such acceptance by the hitherto divide. His acceptance across the board as an authentic and honesty pacifier is a virtue that can only be identified/attributable to and with him and him alone. Given potential dormant extremism among and within this divide, it would a disaster to gamble with such formative unity in the name of change whichever shape it takes. For this has the reversal potential to this important identity formation and our national fabric critical for our life as a nation state.Yet this is the centre piece of our unity and reconciliation which is still in its raw material form that any gamble in the name of change will alter this national cohesive fabric, and with it all that we have attained as a country today. Readers did invoke his immense human virtues and leadership qualities that none of our current crop of political leaders come even close. They then argue that we need his exemplary leadership longer than the current term allows him. The question to them then is not whether he should continue serving his country, but rather how long he can be requested by Rwandans do so beyond 2017.Kagame’s wish Vs Rwandans’What is emerging from most readers of these series, from ordinary Rwandans to top leaders of our country, is then a fundamental serious conflict between The President stated position not to stand come 2017, and the wishes of all shades of Rwandans to continue with his exemplary leadership beyond that time. To them, we need a transition strategy/process anywhere post 2017, which can then be agreed upon. This is the central theme of this debate among rational readers of these series at present. And so, if Rwandans have reached a stage where there is overwhelming demands for him to continue serving them, and are decided already that he continues his transformational leadership of our unique country, this homework is close to an answer. This is premised on the fact that Kagame was not his own choice (his making) to be our President, but rather the choice of Rwandans, and this choice is more live now than ever before, as we face 2017, a very uncertain cut-off date in the political life of our country indeed, and one that ignited lots of anxiety among Rwandans and foreigners with stakes in Rwanda all of which are unanimous as to their choice: Continuity of current course by President Kagame.However, this situation has put The President in a very difficult situation indeed. He will now have consider his wish against the wishes of millions of Rwandans who elected him as their leader, and entrusted him with an abnormal country, one that he has turned around in abnormal record of time, using supernormal means and leadership strategies.In this discourse, The President faces the following very difficult choices:First and most important; he staked his life to liberate Rwanda from the most of her abnormality to the extent that, when liberation war ended on day one, he commanded a tattered, demoralised and devastated force, that could otherwise not stand the combined fire of ex-Far and French commandos with all their military capital unimaginable, and won a war that was humanly impossible to win. Can he, can he, let such sacrifice and fruits of the same be written off in the name of political expedience and conformity? Me think not.Secondly, given the unique/abnormal nature of our country and the much he has achieved (miraculous by any standard), the question then is: can he be so inconsiderate/unreasonable (not his nature) to leave Rwanda as it is – work in progress, and in extreme uncertainty.Thirdly, given the numerous calls for him to continue delivering to the people of Rwanda, can the President turn his back on them? Logic then dictates that, if Rwandans voted him by overwhelming majority of more than 93 per cent in 2010, would he turn down their request, to carry on his transformational leadership post 2017.Fourthly, can The President afford to lose his legacy through uncertain change, with the consequence that, all he has attained for our country and at priceless anywhere, evaporate in his face.Fifthly, can he afford to see the loss of what his motherland has achieved through his exemplary leadership and one that he put his all in all to come this much this far? Sixth, can he afford to ignore the price paid by him as a person, and his fellow comrades (most of whom passed away in exchange for who we are now) and the country at large at the expedience of democratic niceties of term limits?Seventh, can he trade off his political capital for the lives of 13 million Rwandans?Eighth, can his heroism stand the failures consequent to the uncertain change we face come 2017?Ninth, will he not consider that, leaving come 2017, has a fundamental bearing on the 13 million Rwandans than his post-presidency own career, downstream our development path?Most leaders argue that, his choices will be limited if he factors in the above in his stated wish. His options are limited not so much by his wish to leave, but by the unique national circumstances/environment, in which he wishes to leave, this now emerging normal Rwanda.Nevertheless, on our side as Rwandans some hard issues need to be considered as well:First, we need to think twice and indeed realistically about his staying/leaving given our situation.Second, can we hold President Kagame for what he has done for the country?Did he do a mistake to have earned what he has done for our country? Although these questions feed into each other, they nevertheless hold serious clues as to our future as a country and by extension answer to our homework. Given his deathless love for motherland Rwanda, his wish will be a wish against fundamental wishes by his compatriots. Logic on both sides of the wish ought to be the winner. But ultimately, our beloved country Rwanda must win for us, and for generations after us.The writer is an economist and a financial expert.