{A View of a busy Street in Kigali city .Photo by : Faustin Nkurunziza}
{{The great American writer Ernest Hemingway said that Paris is a permanent party. Kigali I discovered after an absence of three years is a wonder at all times. One thing is clear: Kigali is no longer an African city. }}
Coming from Burundi, you get two kinds of feelings once in Kigali. The first is to glare at cleanliness, beauty and development. The second type is the bitter conclusion that Burundi is never dropped by his twin brother also Akanyaru.
{{Kigali Better than Athens, Rome and Lisbon}}
At the end of my stay in Kigali in 2010, I was a broke my article “civilizing mission in Rwanda.” A story that has sparked a heated debate among Rwandan online community. I am comforted in what I said then.
I persist and sign, this country is a model for all Africans. The wonder strikes all visitors. A Zambian colleague says that all the mayors of Africa should be dispatched to Kigali to see how an African city can be clean and embellished.
A Sudanese said Kigali is cleaner than Athens, Rome and Lisbon. Nothing less! Better, he argues that the city has better safety.
In Saudi Arabia, safety is unclear. Indeed, from 3PM, the army and police are deployed in every corner, immaculate uniform, shiny boots, new weapons, the communications antennas and wind look fawn.
Thus, citizens and tourists can walk in peace until daybreak. A Kenyan architect based in Kigali said he fled insecurity in Nairobi where he escaped death three times. Now he lives alone in Kigali.
An Egyptian is not to praise both ornate beauty and manicured lawn. My taxi teaches me a Polish customer told him that even in Poland it is not as nice. I’m curious to know the opinion of the Congolese delegates. “Are you impressed by that country as me? “I ask. “Absolutely awesome! “Replied one.
“This country should be a model for all of Africa,” adds another. I dare not report about them that kept me a young Congolese totally dazzled: “I regret that the Rwandan army has left the Congo without having taught us the cleanliness and discipline” A Djiboutian puts a discordant note in the stream of superlatives: I sincerely hope that the forces of evil will not destroy the work.
{{Hatred }}
Do not be fooled, this danger fears Djibouti does exist. An American diplomat, Richard Johnson, has produced a fascinating analysis of the Rwandan paradox where he criticizes Western lobbyists who continue to support the proponents of the ideology of genocide while Nazism was fought ruthlessly repressed.
A businessman I met in Malawi told me, eyes bulging with hatred, the next genocide will be worse than the last. Like what hatred is refractory to all logic. As if the Apocalypse 1994 is not taught.
The lesson should be that peace and human coexistence are the most precious assets for all communities. All groups can flourish by living in peace and mutual respect as the war destroyed both by the assertion of Martin Luther King: “We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
“President Obama told the Arabs in his famous Cairo speech:” Prove your worth by what you build, not what you destroy. “The statement applies perfectly to the merchants of hate and Rwandan Genocide.
It would require political strength and strategy from the negative forces that threaten Rwanda realism. Just as Israel has vowed not to be exterminated, I do not believe they can still happily destroy their hated countrymen.
It is possible that they succeed but at the risk of mutually assured destruction. Hatred is stronger than logic.
{{Rwandan model available}}
Rwanda’s development model is an example accessible. Indeed, we can no longer follow the old Europe is now crippled by rheumatism and lack of imagination. We also can not imitate Asian working like ants.
Only Rwanda challenges us to change the African who is not condemned to live by atavism in the dirt, mediocrity and poverty. Tony Blair, from its heyday, said that Africa is a scar on the conscience of humanity.
Today he is an adviser to President Paul Kagame on investments because he saw an African country carrier.
A nation born from the ashes of the horror to become the flagship of the whole of Africa.
It is not a coincidence that President Kagame emulates the Singapore model, a small country in a generation developed by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew engineering. As for Sarkozy, he dared to proclaim in Dakar that Africa has not yet entered into history.
We have Rwanda that proves otherwise.
{{Prestige}}
Cleanliness and beautification of Kigali are not an end in itself. This is proof of the passion for excellence that drives the leaders of this country.
Once the culture of excellence located in mentality, everything else: growth, innovation and ambition of the great adventures follow as if by magic. Maintaining the cleanliness and beautification that is very expensive but is big.
Thousands of jobs are created, especially women. All those hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to the land as cleanliness, beauty and overall security of the city that contrasts with the rest of Africa.
Tourism has become the first industry before coffee and tea. At this point the Kenyan tourism giant feels threatened. All those who follow international conferences are also attracted to the garden city.
Thousands of Kenyan professionals who bring their expertise are also seduced by a beautiful, safe, clean and full modernization point feed an unprecedented prestige in Kenya.
Following the adoption by referendum of the new Kenyan constitution, a prominent columnist for the “Daily Nation” there is not pull his punches: “Finally! we will become a civilized country like Mauritius and Rwanda.
“Nothing less! I still remember hearing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga declaring that Kenya if not careful could be delight economic hegemony in the region by Rwanda.
I am convinced that the Rwandan model will inevitably “infect” neighbours starting with Burundi. The Rwandan example will create emulation across Africa. For once we have in Africa in progress model accessible. Unless we may not yet be entered history as claimed Sarkozy.
{{Sunday Mass at the Church Regina Pacis}}
Sunday morning, I attended Mass in the vast and beautiful Regina Pacis Church Remera. She throne parallel to the landing Kanombe International Airport runway. I always wondered how Rwandans can still perform when the Church was involved in the 1994 genocide and hate speech for 30 years until a colleague and friend gives me an uplifting response ” This is the same church that welcomed us in Tanzania and given an education. ” Like what you should never throw the baby out with the bath water. Must be qualified convictions.
The altar was beautifully decorated with white and gold colors with baskets of roses even dyeing. I sit in a strategic position close to the choir. I am absolutely blown away by the beauty of the songs.
The Kyrie, the Gloria, the Sanctus and Agnus Dei are sung in Latin, which takes me to paradise of childhood. At the consecration, the celebrant sings the beautiful song of the ascension in Kinyarwanda but I sing in Kirundi aloud: “Umwami Wacu Yezu yatwikebanuye, yasubiye mw’ijuru ngwaturorereyo iwe, iwe yasubiye mw’ijuru, ngwaturorereye.”
I did not know we had the same songs. I am again surprised to hear that the beautiful prayer of peace that I particularly like is sung to the same melody in Burundi: “Mukama turakuzamvye udutabaze amahoro, muri iyi Minsi turimwo.”
I go from one surprise when I heard the beautiful choral singing start a Burundian after Communion. I thought it was only in Burundi we love Rwandan songs. I did not know there was reciprocity. The choir literally transports you into a deep fulfillment.
My week stay in Kigali beautiful that began with the glare as to cleanliness, beauty and progress in ending the enchantment voice of angels. After Mass, I go visit the Retreat Centre Christus I discovered the shocking book “Left to Tell” (miracle in French) of the now called “prophet of modern times”: Immaculée Ilibagiza.
A girl survivor of genocide by divine miracle and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and managed to overcome the evil without a name that has been subjected to his decimated family to become a best-selling author known worldwide.
Immaculate Ilibigiza is a prime example of the transformation of Rwanda: a spectacular resurrection of the dead. Better: the transformation of evil and horror unprecedented triumph of life, beauty and progress.
It is the Centre Christus once saved by a miracle, Immaculée Ilibagiza would be locked on Friday evening until Sunday evening to connect to his Lord and God who had saved to testify. Hence the title of his great book translated into 13 languages “Left to Tell” Spared in order to testify.
The American who published the book “Left to Tell,” Dr. Wayne Dyer says he has read thousands of books for 50 years but “Left to Tell” is the most significant work he ever read.
All these dozens of books written by survivors (there are only women who write) who say the Rwandan innocent suffering and that move the world are just as much evidence of the triumph of life over the horror.
The latest Scholastica Mukasonga who lost 35 members of her family never find their graves took the prestigious Renaudot in 2012 with a superb book, “Our Lady of the Nile.” Another triumph of horror.
It’s a little too successful in Burundi since the woman was a refugee, studied and worked in Burundi. Where survival while all hers perished.
Finally, to the dazzling transformation of Rwanda, one thing has not changed since my last visit in 2010: Rwandan girls are always beautiful to die for even a holy man like me.
{Author is Burundian journalist }
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