Category: Politics

Addressing journalists on Saturday, July 13 2024 after his last campaign rally, the RPF Inkotanyi presidential candidate noted that his administration has efficiently used every penny of the country’s limited resources towards development in all sectors, including education, health, infrastructure, and agriculture.

“We have made progress because we have concentrated on the real issues that matter to the people—that is, the people themselves. We have concentrated on what matters to them and what improves their lives. We have deployed every penny of our limited resources to just do that, whether it is in the area of education, health, infrastructure, or agriculture. There is self-food sufficiency,” President Kagame stated.

He emphasized that his administration had put in place elaborate mechanisms to prevent the wastage and theft of public funds, unlike many other countries where corruption is rampant.

“In many places, it (money) is stolen from the treasury; by the time it is supposed to be used, maybe half of it is pocketed by some individuals. So it gets lost through various means.

“We make sure we fight corruption alongside everything else we are doing. And we are committed to doing it, and we are not apologetic about ensuring that we hold ourselves accountable. That is important.”

He pledged to continue the RPF administration’s development agenda if re-elected in the Monday polls by prioritising the security and economic stability of the country.

During the last day of the campaign, the RPF flag bearer implored the electorate to strive with a singular mission to continue the country’s development agenda without being distracted by naysayers.

“I encourage and assure you that you shall be what you want to be, not how others want you to be. Ignore their ill-fated words because they don’t kill. Poverty kills, insecurity kills, ignorance kills but words don’t kill,” he said.

“As the government, we have made the right priorities by concentrating on what matters most to the people. Your large numbers here today are testimony to this. I have seen throughout the campaigns that you are a people living for a purpose,” he added.

The Head of State had back in April indicated that Rwanda will be five times better if the current momentum of social and economic development is maintained.

President Kagame said that the country had defied the odds to record tremendous growth over the last 30 years, when the country was derailed by the Genocide against the Tutsi.

“In the next 30 years we will continue making progress and be where others are even though some of them take it for granted. We see developed countries, why can’t Rwanda or Africa develop to that level or even beyond,” Kagame reasoned.

He highlighted that with the right politics in the country and the region, Rwanda will be far much better than its current state.

“The Rwanda of the next 30 years should maybe be three, four, or five times better than what you are seeing now. The next three decades should bring even more development because we are not coming from the grave; this time we are coming from some level of progress,” he added.

The campaigns have showcased several unique and notable characteristics that reflect the country’s political culture, democratic maturity, and commitment to development.

Overall, this season has provided a platform of diverse voices and visions for Rwanda’s future, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and participatory governance.

Now that the campaign season has come to an end, the focus has shifted to ensuring a peaceful and transparent election, setting the stage for Rwanda’s next chapter in governance and development.

As Rwandans look forward to a decisive election that will shape the trajectory of the nation, some key aspects and events have stood out.

There has been diverse political participation by various political parties, including the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR), Social Democratic Party (PSD), and Liberal Party (PL) where each of them presented distinct platforms and visions for Rwanda’s future.

Generally, the campaigns heavily emphasized ongoing and planned infrastructure projects, such as road construction, energy provision, and technological advancements. Candidates highlighted their commitment to continuing Rwanda’s rapid development trajectory.

On the last day, Paul Kagame, the RPF-Inkotanyi flag bearer implored the electorate to strive with a singular mission to mainly continue the country’s development agenda without getting bothered by what other people say.

“I encourage and assure you that you shall be what you want to be, not how others want you to be. Ignore their ill-fated words because they don’t kill. Poverty kills, insecurity kills, ignorance kills but words don’t kill,” he said.

“As the government, we have made the right priorities by concentrating on what matters most to the people. Your large numbers here today are testimony to this. I have seen throughout the campaigns that you are a people living for a purpose,” he added.

RPF, known for its significant role in ending the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, held its last campaign rally at Gahanga in Kicukiro district.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda is the main opposition party.

Throughout the campaign, its flag bearer and presidential hopeful Dr Frank Habineza, focused on promoting environmental sustainability, social justice, and several other political reforms

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Liberal Party (PL) joined six other parties to form a coalition and support the RPF candidate for the position of President.

However, in a bid to vie for parliamentary positions, both parties campaigned on platforms of economic growth, social equity, and enhanced democratic practices.

On July 13, 2024, when the official campaigns ended, Dr Vincent Biruta, the leader of PSD said that the decision to support RPF was taken after consultative discussions with the electorate.

“Our position to support RPF was informed by Rwandans who have shown us that they love their president, we also have to accept and support their choice. We are confident that we shall win together,” he said.

During a campaign rally that concluded at the Gahanga site in Kicukiro District on July 13, 2024, Kagame told Rwandans that the achievements of the past 30 years were the result of collective efforts.

The rally was attended by thousands, mostly members of RPF Inkotanyi. Kagame highlighted that the high turnout at various campaign sites was a sign of Rwanda’s resilience and recovery.

He said, “I am very grateful for how many of you came, but it’s not just the numbers; it’s a sign of numerous and significant achievements. Therefore, the 30-year journey we’ve traveled, and where we stand now, is truly a testament to Rwanda’s recovery, becoming a Rwanda for all Rwandans, united as one. To put it in a Rwandan proverb, what was once a trickle has become an ocean. The rest is a political achievement.”

The RPF Inkotanyi candidate addressed foreigners from some countries who do not understand the high participation of Rwandans in such events. He said that if they truly knew Rwanda, they would not criticize its democracy.

“That is why many do not understand, especially those outside, who are not Rwandans, when they speak of Rwanda. If you don’t know Rwanda, I can’t blame you. But if you want to talk about Rwanda, you should know it. In the past, Rwandans were united, not without differences, but when it came to being Rwandan, they were one. For many years, we were not united, but now we are one again.”

Kagame explained that the turnout in the campaign activities symbolized the unity of Rwandans, a collective goal to build their country without leaving anyone behind. This is further reinforced by the eight political parties that joined RFP in supporting a single presidential candidate.

To foreigners who don’t understand, Kagame explained that many come from countries with only two political parties that alternate in power but expect Africa to have countless parties.

“Where all this comes from, they deceive us. Because there are countries with two parties that alternate in power, one staying in power for a long time until the other replaces it. But when it comes to Africa, to Rwanda, they tell us that there should be many parties without limit, while they have only two that alternate, sometimes combining into one with a common goal of harming other countries, often acting maliciously, not benevolently.”

He explained that the RPF Inkotanyi’s broad support from Rwandans reflects their choice to live according to their own will, following a history of hardship before the past 30 years, and that no one else should determine their way of life.

“The reason for this achievement is finding our solutions as Rwandans, reaching this point, making people feel that we have become what they did not want. But in this world, although it’s common, Rwanda chose to be as we want, not as someone else would dictate. This is not just my understanding, it’s not just RPF that understands this. It’s all of you, all of us, even those not in RPF.”

“When they see you go to 17-18 places, each with no fewer than 200,000 people, reaching up to 500,000 or more like today, this cannot be fabricated unity, fabricated joy, fabricated numbers, unless you’re insane. But even if such fabrication exists, I always tell them, they tried and failed to get people!”

The RPF Inkotanyi candidate highlighted that Rwanda’s development over the past 30 years is evident and cannot be fabricated, nor would it serve any purpose to do so. “What others say about us, don’t let it distract you. It doesn’t kill, poverty kills, insecurity kills, bad politics kills. But bad-mouthing doesn’t kill. Instead, those involved in bad-mouthing us are the ones killed by sadness. What can I say! Moreover, those people are very few, they are ignorant. What they don’t know, what they should know, is that for the past 30 years until today, the more they do these things to us, the stronger we become!”

Rwandans living abroad will vote on July 14, 2024. Those in Rwanda will vote on July 15, starting at 7 AM until 3 PM, as disclosed by the National Electoral Commission.

Kagame narrated that while still living in exile, he regularly visited Rwanda and it was on one such visits that he came face to face with a scary military guard but managed to pull off a narrow escape by pretending to read a book on the street.

“I occasionally visited Rwanda to check on some relatives. I think it was three times; in 1977, 1978 and 1979. My relative Claver Muyango, a former Director General at the Ministry of Health who used to live in Kiyovu hosted me,” he recalled.

One day he went for a walk in the neighborhood and met a soldier who continuously called him out but Kagame pretended to read a book he was holding and ignored the soldier’s signals.

“The more he called me, the more I pretended to concentrate on the book until he started walking towards me. When he got close to me, I was a bit afraid and ran away sneaking through the neighbouring houses until I reached home. I even never told the people at home what had happened,” he said

The Head of State was speaking on his second last day of the presidential campaign in Bumbogo Sector, Gasabo District where he thanked the residents for their hard work and efforts in the collective development of the country.

“I have not come to ask you for votes, I have just come to thank you for your unwavering support and participation in the achievements we have registered so far,” he told the supporters.

He spoke strongly against the discrimination exhibited by previous regimes that condemned its nationals (even those who were in the country) to live as refugees.

Kagame castigated critics who trade the narrative that having peaceful campaigns and elections is an indicator of a lack of democracy.

“In other countries, there is usually chaos and fighting during such times of campaigns. Even in this here people would display hate to the extent of killing each. And that’s what the call democracy?” he wondered.

During the campaign, several people praised RPF for its leading role in ensuring the forward trajectory of the country’s development agenda.

Two of the speakers who shared their thoughts include Dr Yvan Butera and Irere Claudette the State Ministers of Health and Education respectively. They are proud to call themselves the PK generation.

As the campaigns draw closer to the end, the RPF candidate will visit the people of Gahanga in Kicukiro district tomorrow July 13, 2024.

The general elections are slated for Monday, July 15, 2024.

In June, international media reported that after EU countries selected Quintin, Rwanda contacted France to inform them that Quintin would not be accepted, citing strained relations between Rwanda and Belgium as the reason.

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe told IGIHE in an exclusive interview that Rwanda never rejected the diplomat because it has no authority to do so.

“I don’t understand why people say Rwanda rejected the EU’s special envoy to the region because Rwanda is not an EU member. They are the ones to make the decision, not us, because it’s none of our business,” he stated.

Nduhungirehe explained that Rwanda merely expressed its concerns regarding Bernard Quintin, viewing him as someone who can be biased.

“We expressed our concerns regarding the candidate they had proposed, seen as biased. We established that he would be siding with Congo, which would not have made him impartial. However, this does not mean we rejected him, as we are not responsible for appointing EU envoys.”

Minister Nduhungirehe’s remarks came shortly after EU Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer disclosed that Rwanda had not interfered with the decision to send the diplomat.

The strained relationship between Rwanda and Belgium stems from Brussels’ refusal to accept Vincent Karega, who was appointed as Rwanda’s Ambassador, and Belgium’s clear bias, siding with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group.

Minister Nduhungirehe noted that since Belgium rejected Vincent Karega, Rwanda remains firm in its decision not to send another ambassador to Belgium.

He stated, “There have been no further discussions regarding the rejection of Ambassador Karega. We have made it clear that he is the one we nominated as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Belgium, and we will not send another. This is where we stand now.”

In September 2023, President Kagame announced that Belgium never provided reasonable explanations to Rwanda after rejecting Ambassador Vincent Karega and that Rwanda was not considering sending another candidate.

He said that after a long wait for Vincent Karega’s acceptance, Belgian authorities asked Rwanda to replace him with someone else.

President Kagame further explained that Rwanda later understood that Belgium’s decision was influenced by pressure from the Congolese government rather than any other reason and emphasized the importance of receiving clear explanations in such situations.

Ministers in charge of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda and Burundi are expected to meet soon to further discuss issues concerning bilateral diplomatic relations but they say there is no need for a mediator. Both Governments are determined to resolve their disputes amicably.

A recently concluded retreat which brought together Ministers from eight East African Community (EAC) member states adopted a resolution to have this meeting but representatives from both countries say an agreement was reached even before the retreat occurred.

In an interview with IGIHE, Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe explained that before the retreat began, his team had met with Burundi counterpart Albert Shingiro and agreed that both Governments would discuss and resolve the issue themselves.

“We didn’t even extensively discuss the issue between Rwanda and Burundi at the meeting because before it started, we spoke with Minister Albert Shingiro, and agreed that our countries would discuss our issues directly, without needing a mediator, as both countries share the same language and culture. We agreed to meet soon to resolve these issues,” he said.

According to Nduhungirehe, the meeting prior to the retreat was held on July 6, 2024, and it was also attended by Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation, Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe.

Minister Nduhungirehe explained that the decision for representatives of the two countries to meet was communicated to the other ministers attending the retreat, who then agreed it would take place before October 31, 2024, as announced by the office of the EAC Secretary-General.

The principle of representatives from conflicting countries meeting is one of the EAC’s foundational practices. Member countries have agreed that if there is a dispute, they will sit down and peacefully discuss ways to resolve it.

Relations between Rwanda and Burundi deteriorated in December 2023, when RED Tabara, an armed group operating in Burundi launched attacks in the Gatumba zone, located in Bujumbura Rural Province.

Burundi’s President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, told the press that Rwanda was suspected to be behind the actions of the armed group and that its leaders were based in Kigali.

The Rwandan government vehemently denied these accusations, clarifying that it does not collaborate with any group opposing the government of its neighbouring country.

In January 2024, the Burundian government closed all land borders with Rwanda, stating that they would reopen them once those who attempted to overthrow former president Pierre Nkurunziza’s government in 2015 were sent to Bujumbura.

In February 2024, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is also the Chairperson of the EAC, visited Rwanda and Burundi to try and mediate between both sides, aiming to find an amicable solution to the conflict.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters gathered with great morale and joy praising him for social development activities put in place by his government.

One speaker after another poured out heartfelt gratitude for developmental programs such as the school feeding program, gender inclusion, reliable health services and other infrastructure facilities that have collectively brought sustainable development to the area.

One Mukamerika Marie Rose, who was the first to speak, praised Kagame’s leadership for giving a platform that allowed her family to end poverty and enable her four children to access quality education.

“You did not only introduce the school feeding program which allowed children to have a meal from school but also thought about teachers and increased their salaries,” she said in reference to a recent salary increment for teachers of up to 80 per cent.

A teacher herself, Mukamerika’s testimony went as far as highlighting the contribution of Kagame and RPF leadership in gender which enabled women to have greater ambitions.

In his brief address, Kagame implored the residents not to be held in bondage by the country’s bad past history but rather learn lessons on how to further develop their country.

“The bond we have together is unbreakable. You have overtime attained more knowledge and skills. This should be a reason for you to excel in developing your area even further,” he said amid encouraging chants of appraisal.

“Even though you have achieved a lot of success and development as you have described, better things are yet to come because as leaders, we are also committed to giving it our best shot,” he added

He thanked them for demonstrating courage and resilience by stepping out of the ruins of bad leadership to becoming exemplary people striving for personal and national progress.

Kagame, who was in the company of Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente who also hails from Gakenke District, praised the residents for upholding their unity even in diversity.

“Those roads, electricity, hospitals, schools and other infrastructural developments should act as an inspiration to achieve even more,” he said.

He said that despite differences in beliefs, practices, and ways of life, people can live together in harmony and work towards common goals.

He emphasized the idea that diversity enriches collective experiences and perspectives thereby building stronger and more resilient communities.

In many countries and regions, “unity in diversity” is celebrated as a fundamental value that promotes peace, stability, and progress.

It encourages dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration across different groups, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity while respecting individual uniqueness.

Overall, “unity in diversity” encapsulates the belief that despite varied backgrounds and identities, people can come together as one community to create a better world for everyone.

As the presidential campaigns draw closer to the end, Kagame is scheduled to meet residents in Bumbogo (Gasabo District) on Friday, July 12, and conclude with Gahanga in Kicukiro District on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

In a televised address on Thursday, July 11, the Head of State also dismissed the country’s Attorney General, Justin Muturi, in the wake of youth-led anti-government protests demanding the President’s resignation.

He directed Principal Secretaries to supervise ministries as he worked on forming a broad-based government to help him achieve “urgent and irreversible implementation of the program we have”.

The embattled Kenyan Head of State said he had resolved to dissolve his Cabinet “upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of the cabinet and its achievements and challenges.”

“I have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” President Ruto stated.

“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors, political formations, and other Kenyans, both in public and private, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent, and irreversible implementation of the program we have,” he added.

According to President Ruto, his administration aims to put in place radical measures and programs to deal with the burden of debt, explore raising domestic resources and revenues, expand job opportunities, eliminate waste and unnecessary duplication across multiple government agencies, and slay the dragon of corruption.

“This will make the government of Kenya lean, inexpensive, effective, and efficient,” he stated.

The 22 members of the Cabinet fired on Thursday include Njuguna Ndung’u (National Treasury and Planning), Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads and Transport), Aisha Jumwa (Gender, Culture, the Arts & Heritage), Aden Duale (Defence), Alice Wahome (Lands, Public Works, Housing & Urban Development), Alfred Mutua (Tourism & Wildlife), Moses Kuria (Public Service, Performance & Delivery Management), Rebecca Miano (Investments, Trade & Industry), Kithure Kindiki (Interior and National Administration), Soipan Tuya (Environment and Forestry), Zachariah Njeru (Water, Sanitation & Irrigation), Peninah Malonza (East African Community, The ASALs & Regional Development) and Mithika Linturi (Agriculture and Livestock Development).

Others Ezekiel Machogu (Education), Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum), Ababu Namwamba (Youth Affairs and Sports), Simon Chelugui (Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development), Salim Mvurya (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs), Florence Bore (Labour and Social Protection), Eliud Owalo (Information, Communications and the Digital Economy), Susan Nakhumicha Wafula (Health), and Mercy Kiiru Wanjau (Secretary to the Cabinet).

The changes in Ruto’s government come days after he announced new austerity measures to cut government expenditure following the [withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill 2024->https://en.igihe.com/spip.php?page=mv2_article&id_article=50901].

The Finance Bill 2024 sought to raise Ksh 346 billion in additional taxes for the government. However, the proposed law sparked protests from “Gen Zs” who took to the streets to demand the rejection of what they termed as “punitive taxes”.

The President announced Ksh177 billion budget cuts to seal the budget hole left after the withdrawal of the bill.

Ruto said the Ksh169 billion budget deficit would be raised through additional borrowing.

He also announced that 47 state corporations would be dissolved and merged with parent ministries, and that the number of his advisors would be reduced by half.

Other austerity measures include the removal of the operations budget for the Office of the First Lady, the Spouse of the Deputy President, and the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

This is one of the resolutions adopted at the recently concluded retreat, which brought together Ministers from eight member states of the East African Community (EAC).

The talks are expected to be held by October 31, 2024, according to a joint statement signed by the ministers who attended the retreat held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, between July 6 and July 8, 2024.

The diplomatic row between Burundi and Rwanda has been ongoing for several years and was more recently fuelled by Burundi’s accusations that Rwanda is backing Burundi’s RED-Tabara insurgents operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Rwandan government has repeatedly denied the accusations.

RED-Tabara rebel group is considered by the Burundian government as a terrorist movement, with its members being linked to the failed coup attempt to topple former President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2015.

The accusations led Burundi to close its border with Rwanda in January this year. The strained relations have affected trade and movement between the two countries, disrupting local economies and communities that rely on cross-border trade and interaction.

During the EAC ministerial retreat, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Albert Shingiro, gave the clearest indication that the country was ready to resolve issues with Rwanda through diplomatic means.

“Diplomatic dialogue is a powerful tool for resolving conflicts, tensions, and paradoxes between states,” Ambassador Shingiro posted the message on his X handle.

In the same spirit, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe and his DRC counterpart are also expected to meet in an effort to find a common ground wake of concerns over the conflict in eastern DRC.

The two countries have been at loggerheads in recent years over counter accusations of supporting armed groups to destabilise each other’s territories. The Rwandan leadership has often questioned the DRC government’s support for the FDLR militia which comprises remnants of the Interahamwe group that perpetrated the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

At the conclusion of the retreat, the ministers acknowledged that the most viable path to sustainable peace and security in eastern DRC is through a political process.

They recommended the convening of a summit of the EAC heads of state to revitalize the political track of the EAC-led Nairobi process in reciprocal coordination with the Luanda process.

Efforts under the Luanda and Nairobi processes aim to create sustainable peace by addressing these underlying issues through dialogue, regional cooperation, and comprehensive security arrangements.

The Republican congressman was the longest-serving U.S. senator from Oklahoma. He served in the Senate for nearly three decades, from 1994 until 2023, when he retired.

In his long political service, Inhofe is mostly remembered for his opposition to climate science, which often dominated headlines in the Western media.

He was a strong critic of the idea that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, drive climate change. He believed that efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions would harm the economy without significant environmental benefits.

“You say something over and over and over and over again, and people will believe it and that’s their strategy,” he said of environmentalists, scientists and public officials who argued that man-made emissions had altered the planet’s climate.

For many years, this controversial stance on environmental policy made him a prominent figure in debates over climate change in the United States.

An Army veteran and licensed pilot, Inhofe was also known for his strong support of defence spending and strong ties with Africa and Rwanda in particular.

{{Africa’s Friend
}}

He supported U.S. efforts to enhance security cooperation with African nations, particularly in combating terrorism and extremism and promoting stability.

In 2018, Inhofe said he had taken more than 140 trips to Africa over about 20 years, and he had a hand in creating U.S. Africa Command.

He also advocated for increased U.S. support for humanitarian efforts in Africa, particularly during crises such as famines, conflicts, and natural disasters.

As a testament of his close ties with Africa and Rwanda, President Paul Kagame eulogized the late senator as “a singular friend of our continent, and of Rwanda in particular”.

“The bonds that Jim fostered between Africa and the United States will remain central to his legacy as a statesman and public servant,” President Kagame said in his tribute.

Senator Inhofe had a special attachment to Rwanda. He led a delegation of US Senators and Congressmen on a three-day visit to Rwanda in January 2014.

During the visit, the lawmakers were briefed on peace and security in the Great Lakes region, with particular focus on the Central African Republic, where Rwandan troops have been involved in recent years to help bring stability.

The delegation also discussed the prospects of increasing trade between Rwanda and the US.

At the summit of his visit, Inhofe acknowledged the strides Rwanda had taken since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which had derailed the country, saying that “the USA doesn’t have a better friend than Kagame”.

“We have been to the countryside and the transformation of this country is incredible. You can’t see it in other countries. We commend Rwanda’s role in peacebuilding and peace creation in the region; in South Sudan, and especially in the Central African Republic,” he said.

Senator Inhofe also visited Rwanda in 2017 and was once again hosted by President Kagame at his office in Urugwiro Village.

As a demonstration of strong relations with the late lawmaker, Rwanda hosted a breakfast at its embassy in Washington, D.C. on September 15, 2022, in appreciation of Senator Inhofe’s career and friendship with Africa and Rwanda.

In a conveyed message, President Kagame said Inhofe’s dedication to Rwanda and the relationship he helped nurture had strengthened ties between Rwanda and the USA.

“We have watched you invest in learning about and understanding Rwanda and other African countries. We have also watched you educate your peers on the importance of Africa and countries like Rwanda as worthy global allies,” President Kagame stated.

“You have shown that a productive relationship with the United States is mutually beneficial for our people and contributes to greater security and stronger economies.”

During the event, a grateful Inhofe reminisced about his first visit to Rwanda and recounted how President Kagame agreed to meet his delegation after midnight.

“After midnight he (Kagame) agreed to meet with us and he has been meeting with us ever since. We have had opportunities to do things together.” He said.

Sincerely, Rwanda has lost a true friend. Fare the well Senator James Inhofe.