My take on President Kagame’s visit to the Caribbean

Author: Annet Nabakooza

• 2023-07-19 05:10:00

Earlier this month, Rwandan President, Paul Kagame was in the Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago as a special guest when the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) marked its 50^th anniversary.

Over the past 50 years, the region established itself as a vibrant regional integration organization in the developing world.

Kagame attended the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of independence of the Bahamas on July 10 where he was awarded the Bahamas highest medal of honor in recognition of his friendship with the government and people of the Bahamas.

My first impression is that the visit strengthened not only the cooperation for mutual progress between Rwanda and the Caribbean Islands, but also between the Island nations with Africa.

Most residents of the Caribbean trace their ancestry to Africa.

The visit showcased the determination to forge stronger ties and highlighted the need for concrete initiatives to address pressing issues affecting both the African continent and the Caribbean.

By sharing the experience of Rwanda’s history, Kagame inspired the Caribbean leaders and people not to focus on the bitter colonial history they experienced but to build self-confidence and have a sense of ability to overcome their challenges.  He advocated for development through home grown solutions, without relying on external sources as the core foundation.

“The history of my country shows that no matter how bad things are, nothing is beyond repair and there is always a way forward. The turning point starts with the leaders in the country, and the wider region, at different levels, coming together to forge a new, unified path. When that process begins to occur, then external support can be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem," Kagame said at the CARICOM 50^th anniversary.

This part of President Kagame’s speech is the recipe for Rwanda’s rapid progress and transformation after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Many people from the outside world who saw the conditions in Rwanda in 1994 when almost everything had come to a standstill believed that the country was doomed to be a failed state that could not get back on its feet with functioning institutions, social services and public utilities.

Truly, the turning point of Rwanda’s recovery started with Kagame’s visionary leadership. He found the appropriate formula to overcome the myriad challenges that Rwanda faced.

Rwanda’s path to recovery after the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, and the progress registered so far in less than 30 years, is astronomical and  a manifestation that where there is effective leadership, nothing is beyond repair. President Kagame emphasized the importance of self-reliance and focusing on what countries can do independently without waiting for external approval or funding.

He emphasized the significance of governance and accountability within individual countries, as well as the strength gained through regional cooperation and integration.

If leaders and people in other countries show admiration of what President Kagame stands for, you ask yourself: what about the Rwandans he leads who have tasted the fruits of his transformational governance? When Rwandans do not want President Kagame to leave office but request him to keep leading Rwanda, then you understand why.

It is not because they cannot identify a replacement.

They only have one worry. Can his replacement measure up to bring about, accelerated economic progress, unity and security in the country? 

Rwanda is on the right path; succeeding against odds where many have failed. Instead of gambling with a new leader whose capabilities have to be put to test, majority Rwandans testify that they need to keep Kagame whose leadership has produced impressive results.

He is a rare pragmatic leader envied both at home and abroad.

The rationale Rwandans put forward when calling for Kagame’s continued leadership of their country is: Do not fix what is not broken.