I came close to experiencing what being a superstar is all about;not me, the President of Rwanda, Paul kagame. On the 28th of June, 2010, Rwanda ministry of youth, sports, and culture had as part of its month long celebration of national youth recognition month, a gathering at the national sport stadium. Among the distinguished guest of honors was President kagame. Unlike most world leaders who are seen dressed in suits and other formal wears, Mr kagame was “humbly” dressed in pants and a shirt when he arrived at the stadium. Indeed, a passer-by who has not seen his picture before on television or other public places would have mistaken him for an ordinary member of the Rwandan society. Yet, this is what makes the man unique. Beneath this simplicity lies a powerful and infectious presence that symbolizes the stuff great leaders are made off. Am able to make these observations of the man because I had the privilege of sitting in the VIP section with him on this lively occasion. Before I forget, one interesting thing about the President is his love for music. And he made no mystery of this when he requested that another music be played for him towards the end of the program by a group of Rwandan “hip-pop” artists who had earlier thrilled the crowd. The president clapped and moved nicely to the music in a simple yet interesting way to all assembled. But, the climax of the day was when he took an almost victory-like walk around the tracks, responding to cheers that are reserved for international celebrities. The faces of those I saw cheering the president were ordinary Rwandans who are in real appreciation for what he has done for the country after being on the brink of total collapse in the mid 90s. Yes! am still savoring this experience; its one of those encounters that stays with you forever! Murakoze! (means thank you in Rwandan language).
Tools of analysis getting the job done!!
four weeks of internship at the Rwandan ministry of local government (MINALOC) and I have so far applied several skills relating to study work at the School of Public policy. Two set of skills and knowledge base that have been helpful in my work here have come from studies done in Dr. Hawken’s statistics class and Dr. Shires’ strategic analysis and planning class. Some of the analysis am having to do requires the understanding of statistics, not complex statistics though, but statistics nonetheless in analyzing documents pertaining to performance contract issues of the various agencies and departments under MINALOC’s supervision. The strategic policy class has been of particular help in that it allows me to quickly separate the problem from the issues, and subsequently, to make recommendations based on thorough analysis of the existing issues that are driving the problem. Am about to start research on what territorial administration means in theory and the specific job functions of a territorial administrator. Later folks!!!
Generosity and kindness=Rwandan people
As I promised in my maiden blog, I intend this one to be a view into my experiences so far with the cultural and social lives of the Rwandan people. Through interactions with my supervisor, Fred Mufulukye I see a country full of people who are willing to share whatever they have today and not think about tomorrow perse. This unfettered generosity to share with others is to me an outward reflection of a kind spirit that inspires the Rwandan people to succeed in all spheres of their lives. First time ever in my life, my supervisor took me to a Sauna after treating me to some Khebabs (chopped meat on little sticks) and drinks. The Sauna experience is particularly worth remembering because in the midst of the heated bath house, my supervisor and I along with an unknown other individual engaged in a “cool” conversation about the direction of the country in a way that inspires confidence in a people that you should rather be expecting despondency. By the end of my Sauna experience I have learnt more about Rwanda and its beautiful people in ways that I never thought possible. I was by this time hoping to call it a night, but my rather energetic supervisor took me out again to enjoy the night life of Kigali. It then occurred to me that in Rwanda when they go out they enjoy the night life in series, and the party never ends here. At the office, my colleagues were not to be outdone on this generosity experience. I had a problem with my laptop charger, and from no where the special advisor to the minister of local government offered to provide me with a temporary computer till mine is repaired. Such prompt offer from the minister’s advisor is not unique. I am particularly grateful for this experience because it reminds me that you don’t need a whole lot to make someone feel special; a kind gesture towards someone is all that is needed to make a difference. Try it sometime folks!!
First impressions are forever
My impressions so far about Rwanda is a deep appreciation of its people to make the best out of their lives and to recreate a cohesive society years after the 1994 genocide. Listening to President Paul Kagame on national television talking passionately about charting a new course for Rwanda deepens this appreciation and reaffirms the everlasting inner strength of humanity to triumph even in the face of dire situations. The job am doing here at the Ministry of local government further exposes me to the specifics of these endeavors and how committed both the regime and the citizens alike are to making the new Rwanda a reality. The Kagame regime is not only interested in rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure left after the civil conflict but more importantly, the administration is investing in the people so that they in-turn will invest in the Rwandan society. In this sense, there is a collective responsibility building process embedded in the psyche of both the government and the people which helps raise the stakes and in-turn create a sense of deliberate urgency that translates into a sustainable success story. The specifics of my job so far at the Local government ministry has involved analyzing data on the citizens report card(CRC) and the citizens score card(CSC). These two programs are accountability and evaluative processes used by the government of Rwanda and the citizens to ascertain the level of progress made within a specific period, usually measured on yearly basis. I am looking forward in my next blog to talking about the culture of the beautiful people of Rwanda.
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