Those opposed to more time for Rwanda’s President Paul Kigame may be having goose flesh over the issue but the country is however running the lead in Africa.
In December, 2015, the Parliament amended the constitution allowing Kigame to run for a further term after being in office since 2000.
Anti-timers admit that this is no mean feat for an African leader but are equally baffled over what has made the 11.4 million populated country galloped so fast leaving others in the trail after it has suffered one of the most disastrous incidents in the continent’s history.
No doubt the rise of Rwanda from its ashes has been meteoric. Rwanda now ranks 62nd out of 189 countries in the World Bank rating, a shoot up from a 139th position in 2006.
It is now the second in Africa and poised to become a middle income country by 2030. The Kigame government has just announced a series of business reforms including free online registration of businesses, reducing the cost of electricity among others.
Kigame is however one President the African Union would not readily give the red card for moving for a third term. IT would rather look the other way, Not that the continental organization is bending backward but that in Kigame’s case he has got the legislature fully on his side.
Kigame initially reacted sharply to the call of his compatriots but soften his stand when the legislature told him he has practically no choice.
It was a somewhat smooth sailing for a man who had worked immensely to get the landlocked country to stand aloof after the tragic 1994 genocide that shocked the world for its atrocity.
In making the choice of Kigame, most Rwandans agreed that they are now better off than before although poverty still looms high. with some living on water money.
They say that in each point, a leader must have a vision and appetite to deliver social services to the people.
The aftermath of the genocide would have left many leaders spineless and grappling for solutions but Kigame steered the ship of state to calmer waters.
Moving with intensity into technology, the government is completing plans to use drones for the delivery of goods and postal services to hard-to-reach regions from three drone airports now under construction.
It will be a major boost for the virgin industry and set a precedent for countries in the continent to follow in terms of fast service delivery.
In any case, if Rwanda can make it, why shouldn’t other countries do likewise with ease?
By Rod Mac-Johnson
Tuesday July 05, 2016
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