The November 28-29 weekend was memorable, at least politically, for the small Central African state of Rwanda, most famous for the 1994 genocide.
The Commonwealth (nations formerly part of the British Empire), in its biennial summit this time held in Port-of Spain, Trinidad, voted in favour of its application for membership. Rwanda applied at the last summit, held in Kampala in November, 2007. The Commonwealth nations have a combined population of more than two billion and annual trade worth $2.8 trillion. Its main focus is on promoting trade, education and good governance among member countries.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, informed President Paul Kagame by phone on Saturday, November 28.
Shortly afterwards the Elysee Palace in Paris announced that France and Rwanda had restored diplomatic relations, broken off three years ago when a French judge accused Kagame of complicity in the assassination of the previous president, Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu.
Habyarimana’s plane exploded as it was landing at Kigali airport in April, 1994, triggering the 100 days’ genocde, in which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in a genocide that passed largely unnoticed at the time. The plane crash has never been explained. The French authorities accused the army of Kagame, which had invaded the country from Uganda. Many Rwandans suspect the French soldiers, who were giving support to the Hutu militia which were responsible for the mass killings. Since 2006 France and Rwanda have not had normal diplomatic relations, although French citizens have been allowed into the country. The French Cultural Centre, right in the city centre, has been bolted and padlocked, as if to make a point.
The November 28-29 weekend’s events may pass with little comment. They do have some significance, however.
That Rwanda has been admitted to the Commonwealth means that its performance, economically, politically and, to some extent, in human rights, for the past fifteen years has been recognized. Member states are scrutinized over their commitment to democracy, human rights, fairness of electoral processes, rule of law, independence of the judiciary, good governance, freedom of expression, fight against corruption and transparency.
So far this year twenty senior officials in ministries and public bodies have been sacked and some arrested for alleged graft. The latest was a former presidential financial director, Janvier Murenzi, who was fined $1.8 million and jailed for four years on November 27. However, educated Rwandans criticise what they consider lack of freedom of expression, in the press and public places.
Rwanda is the second country that has no colonial links with Britain to have been admitted to the Commonwealth; the first was Mozambique, four years ago. Before making closer alliance with the Anglophone countries in the region, such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and joining the East African Community in 2007, Rwanda was part of “la Francophonie”, having been colonized by the Belgians. Last year, English took over from French as the second official language –the first is the local language, Kinyarwanda- and English has become the medium of instruction in educational institutions, and teachers are now undergoing crash courses in English.
Rwanda is the second country that has no colonial links with Britain to have been admitted to the Commonwealth; the first was Mozambique, four years ago. Before making closer alliance with the Anglophone countries in the region, such as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and joining the East African Community in 2007, Rwanda was part of “la Francophonie”, having been colonized by the Belgians. Last year, English took over from French as the second official language –the first is the local language, Kinyarwanda- and English has become the medium of instruction in educational institutions, and teachers are now undergoing crash courses in English.
Because of its strategic position, wedged between eastern Congo with its unlimited mineral wealth, and the Indian Ocean via Uganda and Kenya, Rwanda – and its tiny neighbour, Burundi, can no longer be dismissed. Burundi has also joined the East African Community, although has not yet changed from French to English or applied to join the Commonwealth. It can be only a matter of time, now the country has settled after nearly 50 years of civil war since Independence, internal rebel attacks and widespread displacement of people. Burundi is strategically located too.
The chief of staff of the French presidency met President Kagame in Kigali on November 29. France cannot afford to lose all its influence in this part of Africa.
Martyn Drakard is a writer based in Uganda and Kenya.
RSS