By David Himbara
Addressing Rwandan leaders that included Chief Justice, President of the Senate, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and other officials attending the National Leadership Retreat, President Paul Kagame declared them all useless.
Shockingly, the President stated: “Everybody has become like the other – the killers of yesterday and the liberators of yesterday…full of self-importance and doing nothing for this country that has suffered so much.”
According to Kagame, he is the only one left to save Rwanda. Were it possible he would even “take arms and fight” against the current non-performing and corrupt system that he himself created.
In most bizarre moment of the retreat, the Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda tried to rescue Rwandan leaders from Kagame by listing all the good things that Rwanda has supposedly achieved – including his extraordinary claim that Rwanda has a better healthcare system than even the united States of America.
Kagame then turned on Mwenda: “I really don’t like your comments. You can reserve them for your Independent newspaper. You write them and I will read them there.”
Somebody please remind Kagame that:
• He is the builder of the current system since 1994.
• He is the appointing authority of all the officials he is now cursing.
• He is their chief executive officer; chief operational officer, and chief financial officer.
• He is therefore in denial of his total failure.
Taking full responsibility, accountability and consequences for poor performance is important. But to turn to public humiliation as a method to change behavior belongs to dark ages whether it is with a 12 year old child or a 60-something Chief Justice of a nation. Frank discussion or showdown behind closed doors is understandable. But public humiliation?
No logic, rationalizations, or excuses make it OK for what the Rwandan President has done. His toxic behavior makes it clear that is not fit to govern. The date March 1, 2015, will be remembered for marking yet another low point in Rwanda’s descent into a single big man syndrome.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/david.himbara?fref=ts
