Rwandapedia is a timely innovation

Editor,PLEASE ALLOW me to comment on the article, “Rwandapedia data web site established”, published in The New Times on November 1.Better late than never – Rwandapedia should have come a long time ago. With Rwandapedia, Rwanda is laying the cornerstone to one of the pillars of self-reliance. I commend this move and I wish it acclaimed success. We must have something of our own, especially when it comes to technology. Look at China: they have their own homegrown alternatives to Facebook, Google, and Twitter. If a Chinese wants to search something on the web, he uses Baidu. With about 40 million people speaking Kinyarwanda in the region, I think that this is our golden opportunity.However, I also think that Rwandapedia should not index government content such as Ubudehe, Umushyikirano only; it should have an outlook of an exclusive Wikipedia for Rwandan history dating back to the first dynasty and years to come. After all, Rwandapedia must be an “encyclopedia” – and that’s where the word “pedia” derives from.Rwanda has a rich history that has to be documented without distorting it. We, as well as the next generation, need to know the history of Rwanda. That’s the reason why I think that it would be too bad if Rwandapedia is not updated with qualified scholars. We shouldn’t limit it to host the government content only – otherwise it will be boring and I am afraid a handful of people will pay attention to that.We need the kind of Rwandapedia that will educate people, that teachers will use as a reference for many subjects, that can become a trusted and plausible source of which everyone who needs a research about Rwanda will tap into.Those behind Rwandapedia should be men and women who have the highest degree in Rwanda’s history, who can write content using every kind of scientific research and those who can be ready to provide everything as it happens. We need Rwandapedia to become the source of everything that’s Rwandan.For instance, a journalist will want to write a profile of such and such a high public figure. Every history about him should be there, starting from his childhood years to the present time. I said earlier that Rwandapedia should give stories as they are giving both the positive and negative aspects of the story. If we are writing something about anything, we don’t have to hide the truth. If what’s being done at Rwandapedia isn’t plausible, then we don’t have to forget that Wikipedia is always there for reference.Mutara Intore, Kigali, Rwanda************************Very encouraging indeed as it was often very difficult to assess good information and statistics. Let me believe Rwandans will use this wonderful opportunity. Let me also believe this will be an opportunity for other officials to share relevant information at their disposal.Innocent Hitayezu, Kigali, Rwanda

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Rwandapedia is a timely innovation