I've been wondering for a while about the perception of Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda. From a lot of western media, his praises are sung far and wide for the progress and healing he's done to the country and there definitely have been tangible economic improvements, but from a few comments I've seen here and there about him he doesn't seem to be too popular around these parts. I don't know much about the guy but I'd like to hear y'alls thoughts on the subject
The Root's thoughts on Paul Kagame
- Thread starter KingSlime
- Start date
Saved Rwanda but is causing problems outside of Rwanda.
@MansaMusa @Frangala if yall are interested.
@MansaMusa @Frangala if yall are interested.
Frangala
All Star
Dude is a genocidal maniac and all that authoritarian development is going to backfire.40% of its national budget is aid money which means it is basically a house of cards that is not sustainable.
The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
I have many thoughts on Kagame.
He's a cunning, cold, charming opportunist. I also believe that his forces committed genocide against the Hutu after the initial genocide in 1994. Not including the 4-5 million Congolese who died from 1996 till around the mid 2000s.Read Gerard Prunier's book about his role in Central Africa's war. He's been willing to kill dissidents too. He killed a high profile dissident in South Africa with assassins a few years ago.
The international community loves him because of how clean he seems. But most of the major businesses in Rwanda are connected to a enterprise (Crystal Ventures?) owned by him and other Tutsi elites. Moreover, Rwanda's economic growth is mainly an aid supported endeavour. Rwanda wouldn't be able to import all of the goods necessary for its economic growth without budgetary support.
I think he's created a near totalitarian state in Rwanda. But the West loves its villains.
He's a cunning, cold, charming opportunist. I also believe that his forces committed genocide against the Hutu after the initial genocide in 1994. Not including the 4-5 million Congolese who died from 1996 till around the mid 2000s.Read Gerard Prunier's book about his role in Central Africa's war. He's been willing to kill dissidents too. He killed a high profile dissident in South Africa with assassins a few years ago.
The international community loves him because of how clean he seems. But most of the major businesses in Rwanda are connected to a enterprise (Crystal Ventures?) owned by him and other Tutsi elites. Moreover, Rwanda's economic growth is mainly an aid supported endeavour. Rwanda wouldn't be able to import all of the goods necessary for its economic growth without budgetary support.
I think he's created a near totalitarian state in Rwanda. But the West loves its villains.
Many Rwandans I see online LOVE him. And say they need him/he saved Rwanda.
The Odum of Ala Igbo
Hail Biafra!
Rwanda has internet warriors. One of them got a Rwandan dissident I know kicked off of Facebook/alleged that he was a marijuana smoker and slandered him online.
African states are increasing their capability of doings things that Israel and Russia do.
Other factors include brainwashing, fear and genuine love for Kagame because of the chaos of the Hutu Power regime and the genocidal period of 1994.
Noticed this too but offline. They might be elite connected to the government in one war or another though.
They also recognise he is behind a lot of evil disturbing shytt in Congo.
Frangala
All Star
Once Congo gets its stuff together politically which should be at the end of 2017. It's over for Rwanda because right not their economic development is based on predatory practices of a foreign weak state.
From what I've seen online its the average everyday ones...
tweedledum
Rookie
I am Rwandan. I'll tell you this: Rwandans LOVE Kagame. It's not just the "internet warriors"; if anything, the common man loves him more than the elite. And why shouldn't they: they have health care where they once didn't; widespread rural electrification programs boosting small businesses; there are new roads being built; efforts to get all children into school; he listens to their complaints and gets things done when he visits the country side; he's provided a very basic welfare system "ubudehe" for the poorest of the poorest...etc.,etc.
Think about it; no matter what others - mostly disgruntled/greedy elites who feel like they aren't getting a fair share of the big pie, dissidents, Congolese and people related to genocidaires - have to say about him, the ordinary Rwandan sees a man who brought them back from hell and has given them back their dignity.
And as for the budget being held up by the 40% aid, well, it used to be 100%. Slow progress is better than no progress.
Is his style of government sustainable? That remains to be seen.
Think about it; no matter what others - mostly disgruntled/greedy elites who feel like they aren't getting a fair share of the big pie, dissidents, Congolese and people related to genocidaires - have to say about him, the ordinary Rwandan sees a man who brought them back from hell and has given them back their dignity.
And as for the budget being held up by the 40% aid, well, it used to be 100%. Slow progress is better than no progress.
Is his style of government sustainable? That remains to be seen.
tweedledum
Rookie
I do feel for the Congo but let's be real, this is never going to happen.
Too many people live off the Congo for it to be allowed to get its act together.
Frangala
All Star
I have been on the ground most of them are being politically mature and know the situation and never underestimate a people who have been through hell and back for most of their history.
Frangala
All Star
Bro Rwanda is an authoritarian state and he is part of an ethnic group that is a minority in the region both in Burundi, Rwanda and there is no such thing as Congolese Tutsis (I am not into tribal politics) but he is trying to play a dangerous demographic game with the constant killings in the Kivu regions especially Beni in order to make Eastern DRC part of Rwanda in some huge Tutsi power fantasy project by also exploiting resources of the region. There are various projects going the East more recently a methane gas project for electricity. All of these developments will stop at the end of this year I GUARANTEE you that because he has been able to do whatever he wants because the central govt. in Kinshasa has turned a blind eye to it and the Americans (specifically Obama/Clinton) have permitted it. Without those two, Rwanda or Kagame isn't what he is today.
Any type of model in which jails political prisoners and has political opponents assassinated abroad (i.e General Nyamwassa in South Africa). The only reason Rwanda is surviving is/was because of the support of Clinton/Obama and Susan Rice burying various UN reports about the atrocities of rebel-funded groups out of Kigali. Kagame will fall sooner or later and will have to pay for his crimes in the region. This is not some hopeful/wishful "feel good" thinking. Individuals with Kagame's style do not stand the test of time.
The dynamics in Washington have changed. No Obama or Clinton. Kagame has been arrogant toward Europe because he had the backing of the US bu with Trump in office it's a radically different Africa policy where Americans no longer pamper him. So the next 4 years would be interesting.
When you are not the master of your own accomplishments then it is a whole lot easier for them to vanish whether the Rwandan ordinary man likes him or not. Kagame was allowed to get away with a LOT in the name of stability and economic development but yet he has been on this power trip and scolding Westerners and telling them not to interfere in Rwandan affairs especially in terms of the referendum (97%) that permitted him to go run beyond his presidential limits. How can you scold people who basically MADE you and has ALLOWED your country to thrive.
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tweedledum
Rookie
Rwanda has always favoured Republicans, not the Dems. Trump may be a wild card but you GREATLY underestimate Kagame if you think Trump's presidency will change Rwandan relations with the USA. Anyway, do you think Americans were backing Rwanda because they give a shyt about us? It's a symbiotic relationship. You ask yourself why they have chosen to ally themselves with a tiny country with no resources.
And as for being able to do what he wants to do because Kinshasa turned a blind eye...er, no. Congo is massive, severely fractured and largely dysfunctional; it would have to straighten itself out first before it could do anything about Rwanda and I simply do not see that happening.
None of us can say for sure whether he will stand the test of time. You say it will all come to a head at the end of 2017? Well, let's wait and see. If we are still here, I'll be sure to remind you.
Frangala
All Star
I don't underestimate Kagame, I just think he has been a great beneficiary of Western backing and he is where he is today BECAUSE of Western backing. He is not as masterful and strategic as you think. He is shrewd I will give you that was able to exploit the genocide in 1994 for the lack of non-intervention by Western powers and has been to play that card over and over again but the man acts like he is the master of his own destiny but keep underestimating Congo at your own peril. One of the few African countries that I have been to with no ethnic/tribal strife like others but just a dysfunctional political class. Once that gets fixed, it's over.