Last week Rwanda marked its 51st Independence anniversary and 19th Liberation anniversary.It was a moment of reflection as the country looked back at two contrasting chapters in its history – one, the first three decades or so that followed the Independence and which were characterised by gross misrule, abuses, divisionism and genocide; and two, the last 19 years of the country’s remarkable comeback from the brink.But it was also an opportunity to look ahead and recommit to the very principles and values that have brought us thus far, with a view to turning another page in the country’s quest for self-reliance.From the ashes of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi rose a new, open-minded and forward-looking generation. Today, the majority of our young people were born after 1994, and continue to grow up in a society that increasingly upholds the rule of law and values and gives equal chances to all the citizens.Over the last two decades or so, Rwandans have worked so hard to break away from the previous practices and attitudes that threatened their future. The country is now actively educating and empowering its girls and women and has embraced progressive attitudes such as working longer, raised the bar on public hygiene and sanitation, banned plastic bags, and adopted a policy of zero-tolerance to corruption.And the results speak for themselves.Similarly, the government decentralised decision-making, rolled back impunity, championed reconciliation, fast-tracked progress on MDGs, and ensured the economy has never been healthier, with the GDP per capita rising from a paltry US$185 in 1990 to a promising $644 in 2012. Nonetheless, a lot more remains to be done. Donors still finance 40 per cent of our budget, our energy capacity remains just a fraction of what is needed to propel us to a middle-income economy, and a significant number of our youth are either unemployed or underemployed. To overcome these challenges every Rwandan will need to play their part. Going forward, self-reliance should be the catchphrase of every Rwandan.
