Thursday 29 June 2023
Rwanda celebrates Independence, 1 July 2023
By Joy Osiagwu
Rwanda is one of the small countries in east-central Africa recovering from an ethnic war that climaxed in government-sponsored genocide in the mid-1990s.
Over eight hundred thousand ethnic Tutsis and average Hutus lost their lives in the war with the dominant Hutu forces in under a hundred days.
Officially known as the Republic of Rwanda, with Kigali as the capital, Rwanda has a population of 14,482,000. The people are mainly Hutu with a Tutsi minority with Rwanda, French, English and Swahili as official languages. The Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups are also in Burundi.
President, Paul Kagame of Rwanda (photo credit: Government of Rwanda)
Striving to rebuild its economy, the current President, Paul Kagame, who took over the mantle of leadership in 2000, has successfully redirected the nation’s affairs while maintaining stable economic growth. He has helped reduce poverty and inequality since 1994 under the Rwandan Patriotic Front, the ruling political party.
The League of Nations carved out Ruanda-Urundi as a Belgian authority in 1923. But the Tutsi maintained supremacy until Rwanda gained independence from Belgium on July 1, 1962.
The subsequent battle for leadership between the Hutu, who took over leadership and occupied much of the land belonging to the Tutsi led to the relocation of many Tutsi people. The Hutu in control of the polity engaged in sporadic civil wars into mid-1994, following the death of the country’s leader Juvénal Habyarimana in a plane crash which led to another colossal violence.
Over two million refugees fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo after the Rwandan Patriotic Front armed wing led by Paul Kagame became victorious in the Rwandan civil war in 1994. Rwanda is historically an Agrarian economy. The World Bank reports that Employment in agriculture contributes 62.3 per cent of total Employment in the country, with 71 per cent of females employed and 53 per cent of males.
Current Governance Structure
Rwanda operates a multiparty republic with two legislative entities. The Head of State and government is the president, assisted by the prime minister. Political analysts described President Paul Kagame as a leader that has created an inspirational success story out of the African Continent, given the complexities of governing a post-genocide nation.
President Kagame succeeded in stabilizing, unifying and, in part, reconciling warring factions. Social services such as the people’s basic needs and determinants of healthy living have been provided to the vulnerable in society with comprehensive coverage with no distinction of ethnicity or religion.
Kagame’s leadership style has therefore closed the gaps of discrimination that led to the genocide against the Tutsi in the previous administration. The economy has experienced rapid industrialization as a result of several government policies. Rwanda is a member of the African Union, East African Community, United Nations, African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Trending News
The Aviation sector in Rwanda got a boost with the launch of RwandAir’s inaugural flights to Paris Tuesday, June 27. While expressing the people’s excitement with the development, the Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir, Yvonne Makolo, stated that the new thrice-weekly service from Kigali to Paris would provide customers, especially the business community, convenient access to Paris.
The launch of RwandAir
“We know this fantastic new route to the French capital will prove very popular with our customers. From tourists looking to discover the chic and sophisticated city of Paris, or eager to explore the beauty and wildlife of Rwanda, RwandAir’s new flights will also reunite friends and families and enable businesses to build stronger international links,” she said.
According to the statement, the flights will depart from Kigali every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 00:40 am. Passengers on board can anticipate arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 09:30 on the same day.
Meanwhile ha, Kigali International Airport s been rated as one of the top 10 airports in Africa by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2023 due to its customer service and efficient operations.
Kigali International Airport (Photo credit: New Times Kigali)
New Times Kigali reports that the airport was also recognized as the third-best regional airport in Africa based on a customer service satisfaction survey. The Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo, commended the bold stride from Rwanda.
Kigali International Airport also got the Airports Council International’s Level 1 accreditation of the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation program in March.
Rwanda Ottawa Connection
Rwanda has a growing community in Ottawa, looking out for the interest of its members and building cordial relationships with the larger community. The Rwandan Social Services and Family Counseling (RSSFC) is one of the community-based social service organizations attending to the needs and concerns of the growing Rwandan community in Ottawa and other immigrants from neighboring countries such as Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Click on the link to get more information about the organization.
https://www.rwandasocialservicesottawa.org/about
Black Ottawa Scene has also covered some of the community events by Rwandans in the capital region. Click on the link read about previous events