Why does Kagame no longer appear in public? what is his state of health? this is the current topic of discussion for the Rwandan community. Paul Kagame has not been seen in public facing the Rwandan people since at least April 2020.
This prolonged absence and the communication of the Rwandan presidency based on what some consider to be montages of videos or photos have fueled rumors on his state of health. Some Rwandans say he is dead, another part speak of a serious illness (political death) and others, mostly RPF sympathizers, say he is alive and well.
On the front line of those who believe in Kagame’s death is the priest Thomas Nahimana, a political opponent who wanted to run in the 2017 presidential elections in Rwanda but Paul Kagame did not let him enter Rwanda.
Determined and without undoing himself, he constantly affirms and this for several weeks that Paul Kagame is no more! This unwavering determination won him the sympathy of Rwandans tired of 26 years of unchallenged RPF rule, relentless attacks by regime propagandists and surprisingly attacks by the Rwandan opposition.
To understand why the Rwandan opposition is poorly placed to give lessons in morality to Thomas Nahimana, let’s look back on 26 years of actions that the opposition has attempted against Kagame:
- Armed struggle for 20 years which has not produced results, not even an occupied territory.
- “Traditional” political struggle from the outside, again it still has not produced results.
- An opposition from inside the country, again no results, on the other hand a lot of loss of human life.
- Activism on social networks, still no results.
- Sharp analyzes on politics, history, no results.
- Sharp analyzes to demonstrate that the economic miracle credited to Kagame is only a mirage. This miracle is used to justify closing the eyes of Westerners on the repression of Paul Kagame.
The Kagame Diet specializes in ITEKINIKA (state lies) all day long. But this regime remains credible. Including in cases of questioning by newspapers such as the Financial Times . If it is other countries, the IMF immediately cuts aid. Not in Rwanda.
Rwanda’s main backers in the West tell opponents that they cannot interfere in Rwanda’s internal affairs. But the same countries do it when it comes to Navalny in Russia or other African countries. How many sanctions is the US State Department currently distributing to individuals who obstruct freedom in certain countries? But none for Rwanda.
Faced with this, here is a priest who has noticed the change in Kagame’s attitude for 7 months advancing the thesis (not supported indisputably for the majority of us) that Kagame is dead. Day after day he sows doubt in people’s heads.
The regime reacted awkwardly: a live TV show without announcing the schedule and finally the show was not live . A month ago a photo of Jeannette Kagame with her granddaughter was deleted from the Umuseke newspaper . A month later it is Kagame who publishes the photo of the baby this time the baby is visible …
Paradoxically for fear of the Covid-19, Paul Kagame cannot launch the judicial year for the first time since he has been in power, but we can see him in a small group in an archery game. Ah Covid 19, we wonder what strain is rife in Rwanda? Because in neighboring countries, including those that have not applied the measures, the presidents are visible and interact with the population.
Moreover, concerning the anti-Covid measures, they have already caused more deaths than the Covid. Rwanda is probably the country which after having applied strict containment, the number of cases has multiplied by more than 100 times !!! Note that in countries heavily affected by the Covid, the presidents are visible and not only in photos.
To come back to the priest Nahimana and his method, everyone jumps on him. The most virulent are the opponents of Paul Kagame. The main argument advanced against Nahimana: it discredits the Rwandan opposition. From whom ? Westerners. Ah, some want to be credible in front of the same people who support the Rwandan regime while knowing the repressive nature of this regime. Without forgetting the financial support that these Westerners give to this regime .
It is not credible to question where Paul Kagame is because he spends his days videoconferencing with Westerners. The same people who would never bear their leaders being visible only by videoconference!
I remain humble and observe the psychological war that Padiri Nahimana is waging against the Kagame regime. Sow doubt and encourage Rwandans to be critical. Kagame is not immortal. It can be dangerous if more and more people in Rwanda come to believe that their president is unavailable. Like a child who learns that Santa Claus does not exist and begins to take more liberties with his parents! Why not try and especially why the opposition is against it? Political calculations or egocentric politicians?
If Priest Nahimana’s strategy fails , he will at least have tried . It will not have given much more false hope than those mentioned above who are fighting the regime with more or less conventional methods. But we are not there yet.
Wait and see!
By Hervé Oscar Nyangoga