Olivier Niyongabo
There are some certainties about the Rwanda presidential and parliamentary elections. One is that Paul Kagame will win, and will do so handsomely. The other is that rather than look at the reason for his extraordinary popularity, many in Western media, will engage in extreme verbal and intellectual contortions, to suggest the victory to have been anything, except the expressed democratic will of the people of Rwanda. Were they interested in understanding the basis of Kagame’s victory, they might ask Olivier Niyongabo, about his personal tribute to the Rwanda head of state.
From the first campaign in Musanze, last month, the twenty-seven year old, from Rugerero Rubavu, has been among the first people to arrive at every campaign venue, long before the appointed hour, to welcome his chosen presidential candidate.
Like music fans at a concert, keen to claim a space at the front, the better to see their star performer, the majority of the people at these campaign rallies, are already on their way to the venues, by the time the sun rises to wake up the birds. Most of them will find Niyongabo already in his place.
The young man is no doubt that his candidate, will be returned on a wave of unqualified approval from the electorate. He is nonetheless there for a more profound, personal reason.
“I am campaigning for the RPF candidate, who is also the party’s chairman, Paul Kagame” he explained, “and I have given myself the challenge of going to all of the country’s 30 districts.”
It is a plan he hatched as long ago as last year, a personal tribute, he says, in appreciation of an individual whose leadership he believes demonstrates a love for every Rwandan.
“It is something from the heart, I wanted to find a way of showing him the love that he has shown us, as Rwandans.”
“I do not have much education, and I do not belong to any political party” he said, almost apologetically, “but I have looked at our history, the struggles he went through fighting for Rwanda, ending the genocide, then everything that he has achieved for every Rwandan personally, and the country as a whole, if you can’t love someone like that, who can you love?”
By the time the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), announced where their candidate would campaign, Niyongabo had his RPF t-shirt, hat and placard, ready to begin his labour of love. He travels to every venue the night before, by foot usually, occasionally by public transport, when he feels too exhausted.
Rwanda is now in the midst of the dry season, and with little cloud cover between the sun and all below it, the shortest journey can test anyone’s resolve, let alone walking from district to district.
Niyongabo, however, keeps himself going, by reminding himself that what he is doing is nothing, compared to what the man he is determined to support went through, especially during the struggle for national liberation.
“I am using his example, the strength he showed when he was fighting to liberate the nation. If he could do all that, I want to show him that I too, can be strong enough to do this, to show him what he means to me, and to all Rwandans.”
Since the campaign began last month in Musanze, Niyongabo has barely had any sleep, but he remains unwavering in his determination to reach every district, until the end of the campaign.
When KTPress last spoke to him, he was on his way from Gicumbi, to the next campaign venue, exhausted, but undeterred. Election day, 15th July cannot come soon enough for him.
“I cannot wait to cast my vote, so he can continue to lead us into the future, to better times” and using a Kinyarwanda superlative, “it’s what we know we’ll get from the most valiant of the valiant.”
His vote cast, Niyongabo will return to Rubavu, where he makes a living as a small scale livestock farmer, content that he achieved his his personal goal of salute to a man he considers an incomparable leader.
Niyongabo’s individual tribute to President Kagame, is echoed through the tens of thousands who gather at his campaign rallies. He is an example of the extraordinary personal connection that Paul Kagame has with millions of Rwandans. To them, the response to the derisive questioning that their candidate can be democratically elected by over 90%? “Ijana kw’ijana” or 100% next time.
