Editor, Refer to Junior Sabena Mutabazi’s article, “Voluntourists: A new crop of ‘Africa experts’“ (The New Times, June 4). Indeed beware of non-Rwandan (particularly non-African) self-proclaimed experts on Rwanda. The first red flag is when a foreigner identifies him/herself as a Rwanda expert. If you are an expert, let someone else identify you as such. The problem is that an American who has spent a few months in Rwanda and knows little about the country poses as an expert in the country simply because, back home, it is the case of, ‘in the land of the blind, one-eyed man is king’. The world needs to be careful of these faux experts. Chris ************************** Great points from Mr Mutabazi. A few months spent in, say Rwanda and a few others in South Sudan, seem to be what it takes to self-qualify as expert these days. To take it one step further, this is probably how some of these “experts” end up applying one country’s realities to another. Interchangeable, same difference, and next thing you know, South Sudan’s specifics become Rwanda’s and vice-versa. Truth be told, it is the responsibility of all parties, particularly those whom these self-proclaimed “experts” speak to, to challenge their baseless assertions and affirmations. If they do not do so, then one has to objectively question their own motivations and end goals. Remember the UN Group of Experts on the Congo? I sure do. Diyana
