In the shadow of Western might, African nations fight. Phantom aid flows like a river, But it binds us tighter forever. Development partners, they claim, Yet their chains remain. Loans and grants with strings attached, Leaving our economies cracked. Rwanda now takes a bold stand, Fighting back with steady hand. Against DRC's chaos and despair, Paul Kagame shows we must prepare. Sanctions loom, threats arise, But Rwanda won't compromise. For how long will Africa kneel, Under false promises that steal? The West demands, Do as we say, Or face cuts to your fragile pay. But dignity is worth more than gold, And freedom can’t be bought or sold. Rwanda fights for peace in the east, Where militias sow seeds of genocide. Yet critics cry foul from afar, Ignoring truths behind the war. Why should we bow to foreign whims? When African solutions bring hims? Let’s build bridges, not beg for crumbs, And rise above these endless slums. So here’s to Rwanda’s defiant call, To break free once and for all. No more phantom aid, no more lies, Only unity under African skies. Together we’ll chart a new way, With strength and courage every day. Africa wakes, her voice grows loud, In this fight, we are proud! For decades, African nations have been trapped in a cycle of dependency on so-called development partners. These Western powers offer aid with one hand while taking much more with the other. The reality is stark: what arrives as assistance often comes with strings attached, dictating policies and undermining sovereignty. This phantom aid does not uplift; instead, it keeps African states on their knees, beholden to foreign interests. Rwanda has emerged as a beacon of resistance against this exploitative system. Facing threats of sanctions over its stance on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rwanda faces an existential threat from the FDLR, a militia group with deep ties to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Embedded within the DR Congo's military, FARDC, this terrorist organization has vowed to return to Rwanda and finish the job they started decades ago. This is not just a security issue; it is a matter of survival for the Rwandan people. Yet, as Rwanda calls for international support to dismantle these genocidal forces, the response from so-called development partners has been eerily silent—or worse, critical. The presence of the FDLR in the DR Congo is not merely a regional problem; it is a global concern. Genocide denial and impunity have no place in the 21st century. If development partners truly care about peace and stability, they must act decisively to address this menace. They cannot stand idly by while Rwanda defends itself against those who seek its destruction. When will the West recognize that true partnership means respecting sovereignty and supporting nations in their quest for independence? Rwanda doesn’t want handouts—it wants equality. It wants respect. And it wants action against the forces that threaten its hard-won peace. Development partners must choose: Are they committed to genuine progress, or are they content to maintain a relationship rooted in paternalism and exploitation? I beg not to divulge too much into Rwanda’s stance on DR Congo, because, it doesn’t deserve headache argument. It’s crystal clear, Rwanda lives or perishes. I would rather be a layman and ponder on phantom time like hypothesis. I have always asked myself, what is development partnership that never yields to development? Development partnerships should exist to empower nations, not perpetuate dependency. When does development partnership stop? The question lingers because, frankly, it shouldn't go on forever. A true partner would celebrate when a nation achieves self-sufficiency and developed status. But what we see instead is a system designed to keep African countries in perpetual need, locked into cycles of aid and loans that never lead to real progress. Rwanda has made remarkable strides since the horrors of 1994. It has built one of Africa's most dynamic economies, invested heavily in education and healthcare, and become a model of good governance. Despite this, Western powers continue to treat Rwanda as a dependent state, using aid as a tool for control rather than collaboration. How can Rwanda focus on its development agenda when it must constantly fend off threats from across its borders—and when those threats are ignored or downplayed by supposed allies? As President Kagame once put it” We are not the same idiots you delt with 50 years-ago”, in today’s international politics, In the theatre, there are different acts and all know the script. The global stage is unfolding in acts—trade wars, climate talks, geopolitics engineered conflicts—each a scene with its own tension and predefined resolution. Leaders and nations, like seasoned actors, seem to know their lines: the U.S. flexes power, Russia asserts defiance, Europe wields sanctions arsenal, China expands influence, all playing roles in a familiar script of rivalry and alliances. Diplomats recite rehearsed rhetoric, sanctions follow predictable cues, and summits stage unity or discord. Yet, beneath this performance, improvisation brews—unexpected crises or populist upsets—suggesting the script isn’t as fixed as it appears. Guess what, even spectators, understand the game. Africans have been watching, we are not stupid again, at least those that are not idiots. Therefore, Rwanda’s message is clear: We will not wait forever for others to act. We will defend our people, our land, and our future—with or without the backing of those who claim to be our friends. For too long, Africa has been told to wait, to accept less, to endure more. No longer. The time for change is now.
