Resolutions for 2012: To Brazil 2014 or bust

The year is 2012 and we have about eight years to become the next Mauritius, Cape Verde or Seychelles; that is to say a middle income country. Vision 2020 does not seem so far away now, does it? The national spoilsport and agent of fear – the grenade terrorist – must have noticed this too. Not two days passed after the festivities of the New Year before the terrorist struck in Remera killing two people and injuring 16. There are people accused of grenade attacks currently facing trial and its obvious that more than one person is behind the intermittent grenade attacks since 2010 but I find it easier to think of a single shadowy mastermind with malevolent intention orchestrating these actions. I have since named this person ‘the grenade terrorist’. Every time an arrest is made, one hopes that the master terrorist is among those netted. That is until the next attack. So either s/he is still out there eluding arrest or the grenade terrorist has spawned copycat terrorist. Neither option is a happy one. These are of course private musings on my part; those in the know will probably shake their heads in irritation. Nonetheless, as a suggested resolution for the National Police, 2012 should be the year that we are finally able to stop these deadly attacks. In the meantime, we should not give the grenade terrorist the satisfaction of being terrorised; let’s all together go about our usual business with a little more caution but no fear. An article on Wednesday’s issue of this newspaper featured the Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi as well as Sports and Culture Minister Protais Mitali setting out sporting targets for the next six years. There is a vaguely pre-1990 communist East European feel about setting targets for sportsmen and women. Hopefully, the government will give them the requisite support for their success and avoid the old communist trick of stuffing athletes with performance enhancing drugs. I was particularly intrigued by the target set for the footballers. The Premier told lawmakers that the target for the Wasps is to become one of Africa’s top 10 footballing sides within six years. The Wasps have had a fairly good run of late since the 5-0 humiliation at home by the Elephants of Ivory Coast. It looks like they are finally on the mend. That said, Top 10 in six years does not seem ambitious enough for me. I do not know what most readers are hoping for but I was rather hoping for qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Our U-17 football side managed to qualify for a World Cup, I think it’s possible for the senior side to sting its way into the world’s premier tournament too. It’s not going to be an easy feat by any means. If you think top 10 in six years is tough, try out top five in two years as Africa only gets five places at the World Cup. It’s a tall order but then again, no one makes unambitious resolutions. We resolve to dance the samba on Brazilian beaches in 2014 as supporters of an Amavubi side participating in the World’s biggest tournament. okabatende@gmail.com