Twenty years of liberation, twenty years of uniting a torn nation, twenty years of working to defy the stereotypes of a post conflict nation. In every long lasting relationship, there comes a time where one take things for granted, complacency slowly sets in, compromise becomes more difficult and putting one’s needs above that of the common good begins to look. As we look back on the last two decades, is it time to review our vows to our nation? Where Rwanda is today is not an accident, it is the results of carefully defined choices.Though many have resorted to reducing any form of allegiance to what Rwanda stands for as blind faith, Rwandan patriotism is a deliberate decision by Rwandans that we deserve better than a divided, dependent and poor nation. That avoiding our past mistakes will take determination, ingenuity, commitment and selflessness. When we committed to building a better Rwanda, we knew that it would mean holding ourselves to higher standards. Most importantly, we knew that the new Rwanda had no room for ego driven leadership. To be clear, Rwanda’s stance is not against individual ideas, it is against the belief that any individual’s interest, regardless of his perceived importance, can be placed above that of Rwandans. A distinction that continues to be hard for some to grasp.Let’s take a look at those so quickly labeled “opposition.” Their tag line could be summed up as: President Kagame doesn’t like me because I disagree with him. The details of the specific disagreement remain quite vague. All one is supposed to understand is that as long as you disagree with an African president; you are not only right but righteous and courageous. That you choose to ally with a group globally recognized as a terrorist organization to make your point is quickly dismissed as irrelevant. Elsewhere, political opposition is defined by ideological differences and substantive political arguments. The discussions are about citizens’ interests. Do citizens want more or less taxes? Do they favor public health care for all or not? Are agricultural policies efficient? Is the educational system fair? In the case of Rwanda’s “opposition”, political allegiance hides behind loosely and externally defined ideas of human rights while being based on personal grudges, apparent inability for humility, aversion to accountability, abuse of office, corruption and unique ability for self aggrandizement. So why are Rwandans expected to settle for pettiness disguised as political opposition? Despite the persistent efforts of some in the international community to define who Rwandans should be or what they should want, the ultimate choice lies in the hands of Rwandans. Twenty years later, as we reflect on what led Rwanda to be one of the safest nations and fastest growing economies on the continent; it is time for us to examine the choices we are willing to make in the years to come. This is what the #Twahisemo rallying cry means ahead of yet another Rwanda Day in Atlanta at the end of the month. In addition to enjoying the privileges that come with freedom of choice, are we willing to uphold the responsibility that comes with this freedom? Old or young, how will we avoid the complacency that often follows a certain level of comfort? Beyond rhetoric of “tuzarwubaka”, what role are we willing to play in defining our future? To shape a legacy worthy of the nation we have become, we must be ready to demand more from ourselves and from each other. Mutaho Ndahiriwe is a political and social commentator. Twitter: @mutaho
