The Unbelievable Truth

Ali Balunywa in Kigali, Rwanda

According to the Wikipedia, the Republic of Rwanda (pronounced /ruːˈændə/ or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English, [ɾwanda] or [ɾɡwanda] in Kinyarwanda) is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Home to approximately 10.1 million people, Rwanda supports the densest population in continental Africa, most of whom engage in subsistence agriculture. A verdant country of fertile and hilly terrain, the small republic bears the title "Land of a Thousand Hills" (French: Pays des Mille Collines; Kinyarwanda: Igihugu cy'Imisozi Igihumbi).

The country has received considerable international attention due to its 1994 genocide, in which between 800,000 and one million people were killed. In 2008, Rwanda became the first country in history to elect a national legislature in which a majority of members were women. Three quarters of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

When I left Uganda in September 2001, I received a good reception in Rwanda. Through my good contacts, I was able to get myself a good job and generally got along quite well with the people of Rwanda until I left the country in July 2002. I therefore regard Rwanda as my second home.

I returned briefly in June 2009 but had no opportunity to see the country. I revisited Rwanda to re-establish contact and agree on how I could contribute to building the nation in the media world.

Sorry to bore you with such a lengthy background, however, my major objective of writing this article is share with you my experiences of Kigali being my second home not withstanding, it is important to pay respect where it is due. On arrival in Kigali, one can be mistaken in thinking he/she is in some European town!

The road network is first class. The roads are new, well maintained, clean and sidewalks well done. You won’t find potholes in Kigali. Palm trees and the traditional avocado trees line the roads. Like in Europe, sidewalks are paved with clay bricks and pedestrian walkways with cobblestone. I have travelled a bit in many African countries, but for me this was a first.

And then the cleanness; I asked, but got no answer as to how cleanness is maintained in this city! After travelling to several dusty African cities, Kigali is different. You won’t find litter along the roads. The Kigalians are aware of the fines that go with littering the city. It is now inculcated in them not to litter their city. It is amazing the standard of cleanness in this city of 1 million inhabitants.

Having stayed in Kampala before coming to Kigali, the discipline on the Kigali roads is legendary. The motorcycle riders in Kampala own the roads and follow no laws. In Kigali, they must put on uniform with a number and stage where they operate. A helmet for the rider and passenger are a must. A few years ago, Uganda came up with a law requiring boda boda (motorcycle taxis) and their customers to use helmets. I have not seen that law in operation. In Uganda boda bodas are a real pain for all other road users. They never follow traffic rules and are a cause of most accidents in the city.

In Kigali it is different. Taxis and boda bodas stop at pre designated areas. For taxis is illegal to stop at non-designated stops. The stops are well demarcated and have official names. 

The city is busy expanding. Skyscrapers, apartments and bungalows are being constructed like there is no tomorrow. The city council compensates slum dwellers by either paying them money or constructing them houses elsewhere. The land is then demarcated into plots, serviced with a road network, sewerage, electricity and other amenities of a modern city. They are then sold to prospective house owners to put up well-planned structures. 

In the shops or supermarkets, paper bags have long replaced plastic bags. Government does not pay lip service to the environment. Plastic bags were banned and the ban took effect. You don’t find these anywhere now!