The ruling party, Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), this weekend celebrated its 35 years of existence. Activities organised to mark this milestone included an international conference that among other topics, tackled how Africa can take charge of its future. Thirty-five years of age is a monumental period in many ways; first, it is much more than a generation and secondly, when juxtaposed with what the party has achieved against the odds stacked against those that founded it in exile back in 1987. Another key activity organised around the celebrations was the election of new members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which took place at the tail end of the party’s 16th National Congress. NEC is the engine that runs the party on a daily basis. As per the party’s constitution, 10 of the 28-person committee were drawn from the party’s grassroots structures of its youth league. But those that came through affirmative action, a number of youthful commissioners were elected through the direct ballot. This is a reflection of a continued transition the RPF is going through. It is part of the process where those that founded the organisation and oversaw the most crucial task of liberating the country from decades of anarchy, are progressively paving way for the much younger generation. This philosophy is not just reflected in the party’s leadership structures, but also in those of the country, where the youth are involved at the highest level of national leadership. It however takes more than political will or constitutional provisions. Most importantly, it takes a youth that has proper understanding of the assignment at hand, and commitment to take it up. With the founders of the party, which was this past weekend celebrated by peers from across the continent as an exemplary political organisation, phasing out, the youth must fulfill the mission of sustaining the gains achieved and even be more ambitious to take it to the continental level, as reflected in the discussions held at the international conference. A foundation has been laid for them; be it through mentoring from the old generation, or preparation in terms of education – some at the best institutions in the world. In order to maintain the hunger for more success, one must carry an inner attitude of comprehending that the elders have delivered on what was fundamentally needed and now above all, we face enormous challenges that must be met with an even more resilient sense of urgency and purpose. Also importantly, the younger generation must restrain themselves from too much self-praise, because comfort, which is often fueled by a sense of accomplishment, often has a habit of breeding complacency, which in turn undoes past and present gains. We cannot have that. The current young generation must get comfort in the fact that having witnessed the history of a transformation unfolding. They have been given opportunity to become active participants on a large scale across sectors, making them a formidable force that will without doubt deliver on the assignment at hand.
