In a candid and reflective interview on Sanny Ntayombya’s “The Long Form” podcast, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement (ZASM) and founder of Zimbabweans Unite Against US War Sanctions (ZUAUWS) revealed a dramatic shift in perspective after visiting Rwanda for the first time, confronting his own ignorance and seeking reconciliation with a leader he once vilified.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d apologize for my misguided words, born of ignorance, jealousy, and tribalism,\u201d Matinyarare said when asked what he would say if he met Kagame. \u201cI\u2019m here to learn from his leadership, admired yet envied across Africa.\u201d <\/p>\n
The activist, known for his outspoken Pan-African advocacy, admitted to previously pushing narratives\u2014such as claims that the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) caused the 1994 genocide against Tutsis\u2014that he now acknowledges were rooted in \u201chelicopter journalism\u201d and misinformation from books, exiled friends, and unverified reports. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was no different from the Western media I hated so much,\u201d he confessed, citing a personal awakening spurred by Rwandans who approached him \u201cwithout anger\u201d to share their side.<\/p>\n
Matinyarare\u2019s apology comes amid a broader exploration of Rwanda\u2019s role in the region. His visit, part of a documentary project on the Congo conflict, led him to reassess long-held beliefs about Rwanda, its president, and the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).<\/p>\n
{{M23 rebel group and the Congo crisis }}<\/p>\n
Matinyarare offered a striking take on the conflict in eastern DRC, particularly regarding the M23 rebel group, which he met in Goma. <\/p>\n
Far from seeing them as terrorists or Rwandan proxies\u2014a narrative often perpetuated by the DRC government and other critics\u2014he referred to them as \u201cfreedom fighters.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThese are people separated from their land,\u201d he said, tracing the conflict\u2019s roots to colonial borders drawn at the Berlin Conference that split the Rwandan kingdom and fostered tribal divisions. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re fighting for political, social, cultural, and human rights because colonial constructs persist under Black leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n
He recounted meeting M23 President Bertrand Bisimwa, first in Addis Ababa and later in Goma, debunking claims of their Rwandan origin. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re Congolese people,\u201d he insisted, noting their diverse tribal makeup and retreat to Uganda, not Rwanda, under persecution. <\/p>\n
In Goma, he said he observed a vibrant city, not a war zone, with M23 patrolling the streets professionally, cleaning up, managing traffic, and earning public acceptance. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe public didn\u2019t seem intimidated,\u201d he said, challenging the idea of coercion.<\/p>\n
Visiting Nyakabande refugee camp in southwest Rwanda, Matinyarare said he was moved to tears by Congolese Kinyarwanda-speaking refugees, like a widow with eight children who claimed deep ancestral ties to Congo, not Rwanda. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are playing chess with people\u2019s lives,\u201d he lamented, rejecting narratives that these refugees are Rwandan imposters. He argued Rwanda, a small nation with limited resources, cannot sustainably absorb them, urging resolution over displacement.<\/p>\n
{{Rwanda\u2019s leadership and standards}}<\/p>\n
Matinyarare revealed that his first impressions of Kigali, which he described as \u201ca mind-blowing experience\u201d, shattered his belief that its orderliness was a facade. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought President Kagame was a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat,\u201d he admitted. \u201cOnly when I got here did I realize the meticulousness is real.\u201d <\/p>\n
Comparing Kigali\u2019s manicured streets to Harare\u2019s \u201cshabby\u201d decline, he attributed Rwanda\u2019s success to disciplined leadership, contrasting it with Southern Africa\u2019s \u201ccorrosion of corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also debunked claims that Rwanda lacks resources, citing visits to mines like Trinity Metals\u2019 tungsten operation\u2014Africa\u2019s largest\u2014and Gatsibo\u2019s cassiterite mine. <\/p>\n
\u201cI saw it with my own eyes,\u201d he said, describing 15km underground shafts and rigorous regulation, refuting accusations that Rwanda steals Congo\u2019s wealth through M23.<\/p>\n
Defending his change of heart, the activist denied receiving payment from Rwanda to change his stance, saying, \u201cMy taxes would flag that immediately.\u201d <\/p>\n
He framed his journey as atonement and a push for African unity. <\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot fight to be right if my rightness means destruction,\u201d he said, urging peace in Congo through negotiations that M23 claims to welcome.<\/p>\n
{{Zimbabwe\u2019s struggles and resilience}}<\/p>\n
Addressing Zimbabwe\u2019s current state, Matinyarare blamed 24 years of \u201cillegal economic sanctions\u201d since 1998 for its decline, freezing IMF loans and blocking trade, leading to brain drain and corruption. <\/p>\n
Yet, he highlighted recovery: \u201cWe\u2019re wheat self-sufficient, with the best tobacco, cotton, sugar cane, and Africa\u2019s biggest steel plant.\u201d <\/p>\n
He criticized the West for targeting nations like Zimbabwe\u2014and now Rwanda\u2014with sanctions to suppress African potential, drawing parallels to his own past disinformation.<\/p>\n
Watch the full interview below: <\/p>\n