As Rwanda marks the 32nd anniversary of Liberation Day (Kwibohora 32), on July 1, the nation will once again find itself confronting renewed diplomatic hostility directed at its fundamental right to exist in security and defend itself.
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If the past 32 years have not been enough for the international community to understand that Rwanda regards its security and survival as non-negotiable, regardless of the circumstances, then the problem lies not in Rwanda&039;s consistency, but in a persistent failure to appreciate the lessons of its history.
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Rwanda's security posture is shaped by the threats on its doorstep. As long as those threats remain, Rwanda is unlikely to lower its guard in response to diplomatic pressure, geopolitical maneuvering, or economic sanctions.
For three decades, Rwanda has navigated successive waves of security, political, and diplomatic challenges. Every era has presented a different test, yet the country has consistently adapted, endured, and moved forward. This resilience in the face of recurring adversity has become one of the defining characteristics of post-liberation Rwanda.
This enduring spirit brings to mind a proverb from the people of Uganda's Kigezi sub-region: "If you can walk barefoot through shattered glass, you should not fear the shards of a broken calabash."
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Rwanda stands as a living testament to an extraordinary paradox. A nation built from the ashes of complete institutional and social collapse, now thriving as a beacon of security, innovation, and dignified development. Rwanda’s milestones are not merely a routine calendar of event. It is a profound moment to reflect on the nature of Rwandan resilience and the foundational grit injected into our national consciousness by the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) in July 1994.
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The Kigezi proverb perfectly captures the current psychological and geopolitical posture of our nation. People who have walked through broken glass with bare feet cannot be scared of walking on a broken calabash wearing shoes.
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To understand modern Rwanda is to understand the "broken glass" we have already walked through. Thirty-two years ago, the RPA did not just win a military campaign; they halted a genocide against the Tutsi that had systematically devoured over a million lives in a matter of 100 days. They inherited a land of empty hills, mass graves, a shattered economy, and a deeply traumatized population. The international community had packed its bags and looked away. We walked through that jagged, bloody glass completely bare-footed, unprotected by global superpowers or international treaties. We survived the absolute nadir of human suffering through sheer willpower and strategic clarity.
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Having conquered the absolute worst that human history could conjure, it is baffling that external actors expect Rwanda to tremble before today's tribulations. Today, Rwanda is equipped. We are no longer barefoot. We wear the sturdy "shoes" of a highly disciplined military force, a unified population, a robust economy, and a functional sovereign state.
Yet, as we celebrate our liberation, security challenges persist on our western border. Neighbouring DR Congo continues to harbor and actively collaborate with the genocidal FDLR militia, the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. For years, Kinshasa has weaponized this genocidal group, integrating it into their national military structures to serve as a persistent existential threat to Rwanda&039;s security.
To Kigali, FDLR and its regional enablers represent nothing more than a "shards of broken calabash" on our path.
The political rhetoric emanating from Kinshasa, alongside the international community's repeated failure to neutralize FDLR, and economic sanctions scare might cause anxiety elsewhere. But it will not cause panic in Rwanda. Why? Because you cannot threaten a tiger with a scratch when it has already survived decapitation.
As we look toward the future, Kwibohora 32 reminds us that Rwanda's sovereignty is non-negotiable. The boots we wear today were paid for by the ultimate sacrifices of the young men and women of the RPA who fought when the odds were entirely against them. Today, we face current adversities with the absolute confidence of a seasoned survivor. Let the region, and indeed the world, understand this. Rwanda has already walked through the fire. We will not trip over the pieces of a broken calabash.
The writer is an ideator and alternative development financing strategist.