It’s not business as usual for CEO of Rwanda Inc as he starts new term

Paul Kagame arrived at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali last Monday to thunderous applause from his supporters. After the songs, dances and swearing-in by the Supreme Court, President Kagame took to the podium to herald the debut of Rwanda’s next phase of development.

“Fellow Rwandans,” he said, “I stand before you greatly honoured by your renewed trust and confidence and, mindful of the responsibility you have bestowed upon me, to lead our country in this new mandate and the new challenges that come with it. I pledge to do my best, as I have always done, in order to meet your expectations.”

Drum roll, ululation, applause.

“We have seen tangible improvement of living conditions, expansion of access to education and health services for all. Our system of decentralisation, as well as investments in information and communication technologies are giving Rwandans a greater voice and opening them up to the world. All these factors are empowering citizens in a way that has not been seen in our recent history.”

He said he would enhance this empowerment by attaining food security for the population, providing better education and health for all, promoting trade and investment and building modern infrastructure that responds to the direct needs of the citizens. He said his focus was access to clean water and energy to power homes, schools, health centres and industries.

But even as he prepared to settle down to work on these priorities, critics were accusing his regime of human rights abuses and dictatorship.

A group of exiled Rwandans warned of trouble unless he shares more power with the majority ethnic Hutu. Four former allies on Thursday branded Rwanda a “one-party authoritarian state”, controlled by Mr Kagame through a clique of Tutsi military officers and civilian cadres of the ruling party.

This came in the wake of controversy kicked off by a leaked UN draft report which accused Rwanda troops and their allies of staging genocide-style massacres of civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1996-97.

“The systematic and widespread attacks described in this report... reveal a number of damning elements that, if they were proven before a competent court, could be classified as crimes of genocide,” stated the 600-page report.

Kigali came out fighting.

“The government of Rwanda will never accept that the Rwanda Defence Forces be accused of crimes they are not guilty of and that is the bottom line,” said Foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo.

This draft was the subject of a crisis meeting in Kigali between UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and the Rwanda president on Wednesday to defuse the latter’s anger.

Rwanda, in a statement by Ms Mushikiwabo, had threatened to withdraw its peacekeeping troops from Sudan if the report was published.

“We have agreed to continue our dialogue on all these issues when President Kagame visits New York later this month,” Mr Ban said after the meeting, referring to a summit on the Millennium Development Goals which the Rwandan leader is due to attend.

Mr Kagame is co-chair of the MDGs Advocacy Group, an initiative meant to revitalise the world’s commitment towards the targets.

While assuming office for another seven-year term, which should be his last, Mr Kagame told off his critics, accusing them of misrepresenting the situation in Rwanda.

“In the months and weeks preceding our elections, there was an onslaught of bad press reports from sections of the media and human rights organisations that sought to give the impression that our country was, so to speak, falling apart. This led some to expect an eruption of violence, in line with the prejudiced way in which African affairs are viewed,” he said.

A drive through Kigali shows a serenity that borders on tension as soldiers and police patrol the streets. There is a soldier or police officer at virtually every corner. No mobile phones or guns are allowed near the president. Everyone, even MPs and ministers, is subjected to a thorough screening, which is often humiliating especially for the men who have to be frisked by women security officers.

Has it always been like this?

“No,” said Hassan Ntiyamira, a media analyst in the president’s office, “it’s because of the visiting heads of state.”

Mr Kagame’s legacy will be achievement of stability, reconstruction, and overseeing a robust economic growth. In the face of accusations of keeping a vice-like grip on the judiciary and parliament, he has promised to govern effectively and empower citizens.

“We are moving to the next stage of development and prosperity,” he said. This entails implementation of the country’s development blueprint, Vision 2020, which seeks to transform Rwanda into a middle-income country.

Mr Kagame is referred to as the CEO of Rwanda Inc. His admirers say he leads on the principles of business management, accountability and returns. In his first term, Rwanda’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita trebled, tax revenues leapt, and Rwanda is considered the top business reformer and least corrupt nation in the region.

Beneficiaries of these measures include Kenyan traders. Francis Wahome, who runs two popular bars in Kigali, said while it was still easy to start a business in that country, the opening up of the EAC market has made it much easier.

“It takes just a few days to register a business here,” said the accountant who quit his job with an oil marketer to run the Car Wash Chomazone.