Rwanda: President Paul Kagame Rigs Yet Another Election – But What’s Next? Paul Kagame’s long time supporters such as Clinton and Blair used to say things like,“Kagame represents a new generation of African leaders.”
Understandably, those kinds of statements from international heavyweight leaders were frightening to anyone attempting to unseat Kagame at the time. This also used to resonate well and to set the tone for those who blindly advocated for Kagame among international business organizations and NGOs.
That seemingly moral support for Kagame also energized Kagame’s domestic cronies who felt like they were guaranteed a job and income so long as Kagame was publicly supported by donor countries and investors. It gave Kagame’s diplomats also had a line to deliver his agenda through different embassies and consulates in foreign countries.
One should never underestimate the importance of those statements.
Who, among world leaders today, would dare to make those statements again after what just happened in Rwanda? Who in the international arena would stand up and defend Kagame after he falsified the country’s constitution so that he can cling on to power?
Kagame is now looking more like Mobutu and Mugabe.
Keeping in mind that Kagame’s main job in late 1990s and early 2000s was to ensure that Zaire gets a smooth transition from Mobutu who was terminally ill, then after that to help in Darfur where western countries needed to help implementing their land grab initiative. Kagame did deliver Zaire and South Sudan to his masters and he was handsomely rewarded. But the job is done, reward/rooted money has been running out, and a lot of infighting has ensued among Kagame circle which makes him vulnerable internally as well.
What’s left for Kagame to do? Is Kagame at the end of his useful life, just like Mobutu, Habyarimana, and the likes were at the end of the Cold War? What is Kagame’s next top job?