I could go on listening to stories of the liberation of Rwanda for ever and would still be awed and thirst for more or even the same again. You get the feeling there is always more. That is the effect the stories have. They have everything that makes a good story. A gripping narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, open-mouthed, heart beating fast, aghast at impossible feats easily pulled off or narrow escape from certain destruction, or the slaying of a terrifying ogre. A plot that moves along swiftly, not always in a straight line, but with twists and turns until you get to the end, heart in mouth but grateful of the ending despite the horrors along the way. And action, plenty of it, that leaves you thrilled and terrified, breathless and happy all at once. There are characters too, many of them of heroic stature and others of villainous infamy, lots of decent folks but also some despicable ones, active participants and passive onlookers, and external meddlers. Most of the heroes are alive. They are the actors in the stories and also the narrators. The villains, too, most are still with us, others dead, more in jail and some reformed. Sometimes, helped by paid or crooked writers, they also tell falsified versions of the stories but do not always agree on the plot and even the ending. Then there are traitors and turncoats. A sorry lot who have sold their souls. They cannot alter the story of liberation but still try to rewrite the subsequent one, without success so far. Even the best stories still need good telling to make them whole. They need a good story teller who can recount the events, bring them to life and make them appear as if they were happening now. Who better than those who were participants or eye-witnesses. We have them in plenty, starting at the very top. Most of us do not get the chance to hear President Paul Kagame narrate events of the liberation struggle, but those who do swear that they wouldn’t want him to stop once he starts. I know people who would pay to listen to General James Kabarebe tell stories of the liberation war in Rwanda and campaigns in the DR Congo. There are others who would give anything to hear Sheikh Abdul Karim Harerimana or Mzee Tito Rutaremara narrate the history of the struggle. They tell the story of how it all started, of incredible organisation and coordination, near impenetrable clandestine operations, exceptional bravery and singular focus. A small group, unhappy with being stateless, organised into a political group. They grew in number, formed the Rwanda Patriotic Front, and objectives crystallised around the reclaiming of their homeland, not only for those outside the country but also those within. Soon they mobilised entire Rwandan communities around the world, often working in hostile environments, the homeland being the worst. Soon they organised a force within another one in a certain country and no one there seemed to have a clue. Well, not exactly. They did but thought it improbable and distant. And when the time came, they moved the force from different parts of that country for hundreds of miles to launch the war of liberation of their country. Authorities in that country had no idea such massive movement of troops was happening until the war started. On October 1, 1990 And then the attack itself, the surprise, the speed, the daring caught everyone off guard. Then disaster struck and nearly brought the whole enterprise to nought. Even then, there was quick reorganisation and the struggle continued. The rest as they say is history. Liberation came in July 1994 and we have been celebrating it every year ever since. But it didn’t come easily. The story of those four years is one where the RPA fought for every inch of territory, every hill and valley. It defeated a strong coalition of forces – the former armies of Rwanda and Zaire (FAR, FAZ) supported by the French and with arms from different countries. Success on the battlefield forced negotiations. During the talks and even in the fighting, the RPF gave when that was the only way to advance and stood their ground when that was the right thing to do. Most remember the famous retreat from the gates of Kigali that some scoffed at. They compromised but never ceded principle. The story of the 600 has become the stuff of legend. Holed up in the parliament buildings and their grounds and surrounded on all sides and even in the air by the enemy, nobody from outside the RPF gave them a fighting chance. But they repelled waves of attacks and even broke out to rescue lives and go after the enemy. A lone gunman and his assistants on top of the building who kept enemy attackers at bay now symbolises the courage of the 600. According to what we learn, the RPF pulled off these feats armed only with right and grit, conviction and courage, and the dream of turning the homeland into a country for all its citizens, with equal rights and opportunities and a fair chance for a decent life. It is akin to folklore where the lone but good individual overcomes insurmountable obstacles and emerges victorious armed only with wit and cunning and perseverance, fast legs and self-belief. But these are no folk stories or fiction. They are real and part of the bigger story of the liberation of this country only twenty-seven years ago. Listening to the incredible achievements of heroes in folklore was always edifying and inspiring. Seeing heroes in the flesh, hearing them tell the story that has brought Rwanda to this point is more than inspiring. It is living the story, being part of it, participating in writing the history of the future. We must count ourselves lucky to have this unique opportunity. For the young, this is an exceptional chance. They don’t have to go to a mythical past or books and stories from other lands to find transformative heroes, imagine how they looked like, how they managed all those great deeds or even wonder whether they were real. They can hear them live, see and touch them, and ask questions and have them all answered. They will realise that this is a continuous story in which they have a role as have all generations past and to come. What is more, all this has been preserved for us and posterity in museums across the country, podcasts and books. The story lives on - the story of a nation on the march. And what a story! Better than any I have ever read.
