By the time Ludwig van Beethoven finished composing “Ode to Joy” in 1824, he had lost his hearing. The song was to be performed for the first time at the Opera of Vienna, and since he could not hear, they placed another conductor behind him, and indeed he was off by a few notes. The song ended, but he was turning his back on the audience, facing the orchestra, until someone came and turned him to face an entire opera on its feet, in a standing ovation to the Maestro of Classical Music…
Rwanda is an orchestra, of which Paul Kagame is the Maestro. But unlike Beethoven, since the day, in 1990, whence he set out to take over our defeated orchestra, he hasn’t turned his back on us. Therefore there is no need to look for a substitute conductor, for he hears us just fine. We have violinists, we have pianists, trumpetists and trombonists, but the music couldn’t be perfect without our illustrious conductor.
While our Ode to Joy may be misunderstood, Rwandan music is best savoured by those who play it, those who hear it, and those who dance it, for the mere sight of Paul Kagame – its composer; the mere hearing of his voice, bring back strong memories, of exile, of death, of survival and of rebirth. Then again, as Nietzsche would put it, ‘those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music’.
Assessing Rwandan elections and politics without factoring in that reality is missing the essential. Paul Kagame cannot be compared to other politicians alive. None of them has changed people’s lives to such historical magnitude. I speak for myself, and dare speak for millions of other Rwandan too.
Paul Kagame stopped the genocide against the Tutsi and forgave its perpetrators. Think about that. No one has ever forgiven killers of his own relatives, then employed them in his government, educated their children and gave them medical coverage.
Thirty years ago, the Rwandan Patriotic Army led by Paul Kagame won a decisive victory. It did not come to power as a result of an armistice following a stalemate between forces, or a peace deal brokered by superpowers, in fact, those superpowers had all deserted the small African country, leaving its minority to be wiped out.
But upon victory, the RPF chose to share its power with those it had defeated. It chose to forgive its hitherto foes, even after they had done unspeakable horrors. No politician, nor political movement in history has done that.
Genocide survivors say “Inkotanyi ni Ubuzima” (Inkotanyi give life). Indeed the RPF-Inkotanyi movement led by Paul Kagame saved their lives. In a country where they were frequently killed, he gave them life, in a country where they were looked down upon, segregated, denigrated, he gave them dignity and pride.
And to us who were born stateless, raised in exile, being called disparaging names, he gave a country, a citizenship, he restored our name: by his actions, we will forever be known as: The Children of Rwanda!
Yet to the born free, the young, he has given only the best. Rwanda is no rich country, but within our little means, we care for one another. Children are taller, more beautiful, more confident than their parents ever were, because from Kigali to the most remote corners of the country, Rwandan children have only known cleanliness. They have drunk milk and ate vegetables from birth. Their country started catering for them upon conception. Every kick, every turn in their mothers wombs was expertly studied by village healthcare service providers, nurses and doctors.
Upon birth, their mothers didn’t lack breastfeeding milk for Kagame had given them a cow and baby formula. They have all been treated when sick, worn shoes, attended pre-school and school from tender age. Rwandan youth have not seen their fathers beat their mothers, in fact they have not been beaten themselves. As they graduate and look for jobs, they have not been side-lined because of their gender, religion or ethnicity. They all belong.
This Kagame generation are ‘Children of the promise’, I mean, their country lays a rubber carpet on their running tracks to protect their knees, it stops Sunday traffic so they can exercise. It partners with European clubs to teach them football, builds stadia and arenas of global standards so they can play in auspicious conditions. It invites world renowned universities to homeschool them, and every now and then, they meet their president for mentorship.
Elders had despaired that they would never see Rwanda again, that they would die in exile. Rwandans have a special bond with their country and their biggest fear is to die away from their motherland. They have all returned home, where they celebrate their children’s weddings, grandchildren births and graduations. Their life expectancy too has been raised to enable them to live long and witness the fruits of their prayers, all thanks to Paul Kagame. How could ancestors not be proud of him? How couldn’t we all vote for him?
So to quote Beethoven, ‘Ah! how could he possibly quit before bringing forth all that he feels it was he vocation to achieve?’