Rwanda: Skepticism About Rudasingwa's Political Aspirations

By Susam Thomson

Democracy Watch-Rwanda
December 11, 2011

For the past several months, one of the founders of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), Theogene Rudasingwa, has made a number of statements about both his falling out with President Paul Kagame, and a series of RNC Strategies for Reforming Rwanda. 

All of these statements and supporting documents can be found in Rudasingwa's Facebook page.

I am personally skeptical about Rudasingwa's sincerity and integrity. His various pleas and calls to actions are long on rhetoric and short on concrete steps to enact the necessary steps to return Rwanda to its former glory. 

His most recent post (cut-and-paste in full below) prompts me to write this post, as it is nothing short of a call for regime change, and is perhaps the most revealing of Rudasingwa's main posts, and media appearances. 

Just google his name. Much will come up. Little will be learned except insights into an individual who clearly has an axe to grind with Kagame and who manipulates international audiences in much the same way as the man he hopes to overthrow. 

It is a very worrying time in Rwandan politics as its elites are sabre rattling while the population starves. 

WHAT IS IN A NATIONAL ANTHEM: CAN WE FIND A SYNTHETHISED FLAG AND NATIONAL ANTHEM OF THE FUTURE RWANDAN NATION? 

Both anthems are beautiful. Both evoke strong passions. Each speaks to the passing away of the old order, and the establishment of the new. Both extol the beauty of this ancient nation of Rwanda. Rwanda is our only home that we love so much that we sometimes want to deny others the right to love it. It is OK to love Rwanda Rwacu. It is OK to love Rwanda Nziza. It will be ok to love a possible Rwanda Rwacu, Rwanda Nziza, a synthesised anthem of the future free, democratic and prosperous Rwanda.  

Today I am announcing two prizes, each worth 5,000 $: 

1. A concept of a new Rwandan flag that incorporates some themes from the old and new Rwandan flags; 

2. A new concept of lyrics and music of a new national anthem that incorporates some themes from the old and new national anthems. 

Rwandans and non-Rwandans free to compete for one or both prizes. 

The winners will be announced on 1st January 2013.