The long-awaited Methane Gas project in Lake Kivu has suddenly captured the attention of many a doubting Thomas. What had hitherto been dismissed by many as some new fangled idea that would never see the light of the day, or would simply drag on and on until those who invested in the project threw up their hands in exasperation, has turned into reality - a dream come true.

The fact that the conversion of the gas from the bottom of the lake into electricity was new technology made the idea itself even more sceptical and with good reason.

Pipe dreams have been the bane of many emerging countries, especially in Africa. The tendency has been to launch new giant projects in great fanfare, mobilizing the whole nation behind what has been billed the key to open the great doors of prosperity.

But no sooner would the dust settle on the construction site than cobwebs and rust begin their journey of eating up the fancy commemoration plate.

Other projects take off and are completed years after the deadline because they are milking cows for a few that cannot just be done away with. Not to talk of the many white elephants on our continent.

The Kivu gas project follows in the footsteps of other similar ambitious projects that have seen the day in this country. The laying out of fibre optics throughout the country should be completed by  the end of next year, Electrogaz, the national power utility company, is doing the same in laying electric cables to the most remote areas that had been left behind, and every child will soon have their own laptops… the list is endless.

That is the power of dreaming and having the capability to turn dreams into reality. That is the new Rwanda.

Ends