RPF-Inkotanyi, the Rwanda’s changes icon

In 1959, a document notoriously know as HUTU Manifesto was written emphasizing the policy of excluding perceived Tutsis from the national cake. The revolution which was engineered by Gregoire Kayibanda and his allies sparked hate and injustice towards Tutsis. 

Their houses were burned, and people were clubbed or speared to death and others fled to neighboring countries.

In November 1962, a new constitution was adopted. Its main objective was to consolidate the republic and establish a multiparty regime, however, was a one-party system in which the Rwandan Democratic Movement (MDR Parmehutu) dominated the political scene and ruled alone.

Against a backdrop of entrenched divisive and genocidal ideology, repeated massacres, the persistent problems of refugees in the Diaspora, and the lack of avenues for peaceful political change, the Rwandese Alliance for National Unity (RANU) was formed in 1979 by some Rwandese in the Diaspora with an objective of mobilizing Rwandese people to resolve these problems.

Almost a decade later, in 1987, RANU became the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), whose objectives were:

•  To promote national unity and reconciliation;

• To establish genuine democracy;

• To provide security for all Rwandese;

• To build an integrated and self-sustaining economy;

• To eradicate corruption in all forms

• To repatriate and resettle Rwandese refugees;

• To devise and implement policies that promote the social welfare of all Rwandese and;

• To pursue a foreign policy based on equality, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit between Rwanda and other countries.

Rwanda’s history has been that of beauty and hardships. Much as the said hardships of bad politics and discrimination were manmade and nurtured by colonial masters; and fueled by leaders of yesteryears for decades.

 Over the last twenty-five years, several notable achievements have been realized as a result of visionary leadership. Notably in Economy, Strong institutions and Democracy.

The falling price of coffee and the fact that the elites were drawing off funds and economic resources caused a severe crisis in the country and fueled discontent. In January 1990, one-sixth of the Rwandan population was affected by a famine which killed 250 people.

This pushed the country, in 1191, to sign an agreement with the World Bank to implement a Structural Adjustment Plan (SAP) which led to the devaluation of the Rwandan franc on two occasions: its value fell by 40 percent in November 1990, then again by 15 percent in June 1992. Though the SAP was only partially implemented, the main effect of the devaluation was skyrocketing inflation, which reached 19.2 percent in 1991.

After that RPF-Inkotanyi took power, to restore country’s economy was at the frontline among priorities. The then Rwanda, had limited natural resources and the economy had almost exclusively been built around the two cash crops: coffee and tea. In the period 1980-88, GDP fell significantly due to a sharp fall in coffee earnings.

But today, Rwanda enjoys strong economic growth, averaging over seven percent annually over the last two decades.  The Rwandan economy grew more than eight percent in 2018 as higher global prices for some traditional exports, improved agricultural output, growth in transport and tourism. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Rwanda’s Real GDP to grow between 7-8 percent in 2019 and 2020. 

There are many positive big picture economic signs:  inflation was below five percent in 2018, the country maintains its reputation for low corruption, Rwanda's debt-to-GDP ratio, at 47.1 percent is relatively low, and the percentage of foreign assistance in the country’s annual budget has dropped from over 80 percent a decade ago to 32.4 percent in the 2018/2019 National Budget. 

Rwanda enjoys relatively high rankings in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index, which ranked Rwanda 29th out of 190 economies in the 2019 report second-best in sub-Saharan Africa behind Mauritius.

Other major achievements include: decrease in the number of people living in poverty from 45% in 2010 to 39% in 2014; Completion of large-scale development projects including: Kigali Convention Center, Kigali Arena, Smooth roads and first-class hotels across the country.  

Financial inclusion has increased from 48% in 2008 to 89% in 2015 while in infrastructure, new roads have been constructed, existing ones rehabilitated and maintained and Rwandans with access to safe drinking water have increased from 74.8% in 2011 to 84.4% in 2014 and continues to grow.

Rwanda was once ruled without prime Minister office since it was abolished in 1962 under Gregoire Kayibanda’s dictatorial rule. Rwandans was denied right of having office which assists in the implementation of national policies. 

The office re-appeared in 1991 after the enaction of new constitution which led to the set up of new government which led by Slyvestre Nsanzimana who was set aside six months later.

Since RPF Inkotanyi took power and ousted the Genocidal regime, it sustained the prime minister office and having Hon. Makuza Bernard as the longest serving former Premier in history of Rwanda.

 In Democracy, RPF-Inkotanyi made remarkable achievement. Elections are important moments in country’s political life. Voters decide to throw past political actors to unveil new ones who have new policy vision. Rwandans have been denied these opportunities since independence.  

The Decree of 14 July 1952 by the Belgian colonial authorities introduced an element of democracy to the Rwandan political system. A complicated electoral system was created, which involved several stages of elections to eventually elect the national Superior Council. 

The first direct elections were held in September, 1961, with MDR- Parmehutu winning 35 of the 44 seats in the Legislative Assembly.

 Despite of this good move towards Democracy, Rwanda became de facto one-party state since 1965 and was governed by de jure single since 1965 till 1991.

In June 1990, French President François Mitterrand made a speech at La Baule, France, announcing that French aid would be conditional upon democratization in Rwanda, after which the country experienced a slight opening up towards a multi-party system. 

On July 5, 1990, Juvénal Habyarimana was in a position to announce a political aggiornamento and the possibility of moving towards a multi-party system, though he remained very vague about the details of how this would be implemented.

Although political parties were introduced and subsequently a republican regime, it soon became clear that the new rulers of Rwanda wanted neither political pluralism nor power sharing. the political opposition was systematically eliminated; MDR-PARMEHUTU and M.R.N.D. presided over a one-party state system.

The year 2018 brought about more gains as far as political plurality is concerned, at least in the Chamber of Deputies where two new opposition parties won seats. With all political parties securing seats in the Lower House.

Now For the first time since independence, the country has parliament where all political parties are represented under the roof shelters lawmakers with different political ideologies.