Editor, RE: “If dictatorship could heal a society, many countries would be paradise” (The New Times, June 8). If there is empirical evidence of development that we see, and corroborated by reports by reputable international firms, why shouldn’t intellectuals cite it in their books and other publications which are the mainstream platforms of intellectuals. If what happened among the Asian Tigers (Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea) has been sung by many intellectuals the world over and dubbed miracles in development, why not sing about miraculous developments inRwanda, that not even the most spiritual optimist could have seen possible? But as Pan Butamire well put it, it took team work. But this team work had to be guided and managed by President Kagame to deliver against all odds. The issue of dictatorship narrative peddled by some western writers is petty to say the least. If a leader pushes for delivery and good governance (political and economic) why should he be called a dictator? If pushing for delivery by a leader who can show for it is dictatorship, even when the citizens are most happy about this, and want him to stay on for the same...so be it. Unfortunately, all successful leaders have had this tag from Singapore’s Lee Kuan, to Malaysia’s Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, but they became heroes, not only at home but across the globe. Nshuti
