There is a saying in Kinyarwanda that goes: “Uwambaye ikirezi ntamenya ko cyera”, to put loosely “when you are wearing a pearl, you can’t appreciate how exceptional it is.” The reason I am saying this is drawn from my experience as Rwandan citizen leaving abroad, which, without doubt, I share with several compatriots from different parts of the world. I remember after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi all of us were shy to say who were. Do you know why? Because the Genocide, in which over a million people were killed, was broadcast all over the world as they were being committed back home. Our country’s image was tarnished beyond repair, or so we thought. In my case, whenever people would ask where I come from, I would simply say “I am from Uganda”, or “I am from Kenya”. At times, I would even pretend to be Ethiopian or Somali because I am brown skinned. But these days, because Rwanda has transformed from rubbles to a country which is envied around the world on many indicators, being development, cleanliness or its touristic attractions. At Kilimanjaro Pub/Restaurant. From left to right: My wife Yvonne,Son Fabrice,Myself and the Senegalese pub owner in June 2019. But above all, because of the leadership we have, especially our President Paul Kagame. To bring these points home, I will use anecdotal coincidences which have been happening to me. The most recent one took place this week in the city of Oxford where I have been living since 2002. As I was preparing to travel back home (to Rwanda) on Tuesday, I had many things I wanted to be done before my departure. It happened that I had been asked by the publisher of my forth coming biography to have some photos printed. I went to a digital print shop located on Corner Market, at the City Centre, called Snappysnaps. After paying for the photos I needed printed, I stood a little bit to explore the kind of other services offered at the shop. I engaged in a brief conversation with one lady working in this workshop. When I told her that I should hurry to go home to start packing because I am traveling tomorrow, the manager of the shop who so far had not engaged in our conversation, suddenly asked me where I come from. I told him that I was from Rwanda, in East-Central Africa. I saw the man very interested at hearing that I am from Rwanda. Them a very interesting conversation ensued. He seemed a bit confused. This is how it went. “Rwanda? “he asked apprehensively. I said: “Yes”! Then he said he hears there is too much repression against political opponents. “Where do you get that?” I asked him very bemused. He said that he heard from people and in the news. I simply replied to him that very often, there a lot of untruths and very corrosive material originating from the same purported opponents and I added that this is far from the truth. Then he proceeded: “Is it safe to travel there because of the genocide that happened in the recent past?” he further asked me. I assured him that Rwanda is probably the safest place to be throughout Africa. I stressed that genocide occurred more than twenty five years ago and now people live in peace with their neighbours. He was puzzled by my answer. “How did you achieve that?” he queried. I gave a brief history of Gacaca Courts, one of our homegrown solutions and how they helped heal the national social fabric which had been torn apart by the 1994 bloodletting; and how this process which took several years and saw the trial of more than 120,000 suspects. I emphasised that the Gacaca process was unlike the UN International Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) which, despite a colossal budget only indicted a mere 93 genocide suspects. At this point, he wanted to hear even more about the uniqueness of our country. He then asked if in Rwanda we have a national reconciliation body. I told him that soon after the Genocide, the government set up the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, which has been instrumental in cementing unity and national cohesion. “You Rwandans are lucky,” he pointed out tome. He revealed that in his country of origin, Lebanon, a genocide took place but theirs was religious-related. “We never had such an opportunity. To this date the perpetrators were never punished,” he regretted. Those behind the atrocities were let off, and some even later on joined the administration, “he confided in me. Then, after my reassurances he surprisingly told me that he would like to visit my country. “My wife would like it very much” he further told me. He said that he might come not this coming year, but the next one in 2021. I said to him that he is more than welcome. I told him that my country has a breath-taking natural beauty with its hills, valleys, lakes and rivers. He was still eager to know more. At this point, I told him that he has several options. He could go to the north of the country and visit the rare Mountain Gorillas which attracts many tourists. I also told him he could go east and visit the Akagera National Park with its big five animals, its lakes and birds among others. I further indicated to him that if he preferred, he could go south-west and visit the Nyungwe Forest with its unique Columbus monkeys, chimpanzees, its fauna and flora. But also, the majestic canopy walk and its high-class hotel. I had decided to forget the urgency and the pressure I was under to return home and start packing because simply this man could not let me go. He had also stopped his work. After about ten minutes, I said goodbye promising him that upon return I would bring him a souvenir from Rwanda. By the way, I also found time to show him a YouTube video showing the city and its clean streets and palm trees lining the streets. He was very impressed. This is the second time in less than six months that I had engaged with some random stranger about my motherland. I recall last June; I and my wife went to visit our sone who was studying Architecture at Hannover University in South Saxony. He had gone there for a one-year exchange programme. We went out for dinner in an African pub- restaurant called Kilimanjaro. The owner of this restaurant happened to be Senegalese. At hearing that we are from Rwanda, he started telling us in loud voice: “President Kagame, Kagame is the best president. I wish he was the President of Africa,” he told us. Because of my president, he offered me a glass of brandy. Imagine that! In his pub hung the portraits of iconic figures like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Patrice Lumumba, and Che Guevara. I jokingly told him that next time I will come visit, I make sure I bring the portrait of my President so that its can join the great leaders who shaped the history of humanity. I am sure many readers may have experienced similar situations. I encourage them to tell their stories. After all, some of us known how blessed we are to have such a beautiful country, and our President many Africans would like to borrow for a year or two. I heard it from Nigerians and Ghanaians who admired what President Kagame and people of Rwanda have achieved in such short time. I felt I had to share my experiences. I could write more but I have to stop here to pack my luggage to come to Rwanda. As I conclude, I want to call upon my compatriots telling them they should be proud to be Rwandans and not feel ashamed of it. We should embrace our “ikirezi” and promote it across the world. The writer is a Rwandan living in Oxford in the United Kingdom. The views expressed in this article are of the author.
