Of Agaciro, accountability and nation-building

One ordinary word has come to define everything Rwandan – from such philosophical concepts as being to the more practical concerns like having a roof over one’s head or food on the table.It embodies their spirit, aspirations, goals and enterprise, their place in the world and even the mundane functions of government. That word is Agaciro with a capital A. Agaciro has become the de facto national motto, for several understandable reasons. For one thing, it is short and memorable. For another, it is rousing and inspirational. And in any case, it encompasses the meaning of the official one – unity, patriotism and work – which many Rwandans would be hard-pressed to remember as the national motto. In sum, Agaciro is at once a philosophy as well as a blueprint for action, a value system as well as a measure of individual and collective achievement. It is the basis for appropriate personal conduct and carrying out a public function as well. In the last few weeks, the concept of Agaciro in the life of the nation has again come to the fore. On Saturday it was at the centre of discussions and given a global dimension in Atlanta, USA, during Rwanda Day. Different speakers – Rwandan and American – said it was self-worth, respect, having one’s opinion heard and respected, being allowed to be who one is and to make choices and decisions for oneself. All of them correct, of course. It was left to President Paul Kagame to reorient the discussion to what it means to Rwanda. He reminded his audience about the foundation on which Agaciro in the national life is built – unity, accountability and thinking big. These are the conscious choices Rwandans have made on which to build their future as a nation. They are values as well as bases for practice to realise this future. It is not the first time that he was saying this. He made the point in a powerful speech during the 20th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi. Back here in Rwanda, the President’s reminder was timely in the context of recent events. The most recent of these was the resignation of the President of the Senate, Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, last week. He resigned, citing personal reasons, after it had become clear, even to him, that his conduct made it impossible for him to carry on as head of the Senate. He had lost the trust of his colleagues and of the Rwandan people whom they represent. According to fellow senators, he had failed the accountability test and therefore his leadership position was no longer tenable. Among his failings was misuse of office, a feeling of entitlement that went beyond the reasonable, improper contact with representatives of foreign countries, unwillingness to lead or work with a team and refusal to take advice. In such circumstances there was only one choice – to do the honourable thing and step down, or be sanctioned. That is what accountability demands. In the context of leadership, accountability means working for and delivering to ordinary citizens. It also means taking responsibility for failure to live up to these expectations. That is how this country has been able to move forward – by upholding personal and collective accountability. The second important happening that emphasises President Kagame’s reminder of the pillars of Agaciro was the arrest of the former head of the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) on corruption charges. RSSB holds huge amounts of money in trust for Rwandans for their retirement or when they fall ill and need medical care. It is a fund to which workers contribute. The chief executive is the principal trustee. For the chief trustee to steal from what has been entrusted to them for safe-keeping is a betrayal of trust and amounts to stealing from the owners and putting senior citizens’ lives at risk when they have actually provided for the time when they will no longer be able to work.In this case, too, the only recourse is the judicial route – to punish the offender and also recover the money. President Kagame laid out clearly the consequences of leadership failures in his commemoration speech when he said: “When we sanction an official, no matter how high-ranking, who abuses their power or engages in corruption — we are being accountable”. A little earlier, there were reports of actions by former public servants and army officers that could have disrupted the peace and progress Rwandans enjoy. This group had a sense of self-worth that placed them above everyone else and gave them a feeling of superior entitlement above other citizens. By this, they failed the Agaciro test of respect for others. Again President Kagame had a good answer for this sort. He said in Atlanta on Saturday: “Politics in Rwanda is about building, not destroying.” Building, unity, accountability and thinking big are what Rwanda is about. The challenge to any self-respecting Rwandan is to contribute to this. Anyone unwilling to make the necessary contribution or undermines these values has no place in the leadership of the country.And if anyone is in doubt about where they stand, they should refer to Agaciro. It is the collective compass. jorwagatare@yahoo.co.uk

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Of Agaciro, accountability and nation-building