Hutu phobia, Salma Kikwete and Kagame's propaganda
According to one of the vilest ideologies: Hutus suffer from a genetic disorder. Their descendants inherit the genocide gene and they transmit it over to their non-Rwandan spouses through marriage. This is true if one is to believe the "scientists" in Kigali. President Kikwete of Tanzania has thus gained the gene from his wife, Salma, who they now accuse of being Hutu. According to them, it is a crime to be Hutu. That the Hutu constitute the majority in Rwanda does not seem to register in their minds.
This near-hysterical character assassination began after Kikwete's suggestion that Rwanda should talk to its armed rivals. While Kikwete made it clear that this was his personal opinion, the Kagame regime went into a rabid attack mode--sparing no insults. At first, there was a short-lived campaign to claim that Kikwete was of Hutu ancestry. Now that this hasn't worked, his wife seems to have become the perfect victim. Kagame happily plays the protagonist role.
But why waste time attacking the wife of a head of a state? If this is any indication, the Rwandan PR does tend to sink too low. I remember Barack Obama during the election cycle urging his opponents to stay clear from his family. It really does not augur well to go after the wife of a man that you deem your enemy. It is the epitome of cowardice and weakness.
"I will wait for you in a corner and hit you," Kagame lashed at Kikwete a few months ago. Rwandan bloggers have (I believe rightly so) urged Kikwete to take Kagame's threats seriously. After all, this is a leader who is described by some of his Tutsi tribesmen as a "serial killer." The blogs want to remind Kikwete that this is the same guy who is responsible for at least the deaths of four heads of state within the last two decades. They count Melchior Ndadaye (Burundi), Juvenal Habyarimana (Rwanda), Cyprien Ntaryamira (Burundi) and Laurent Kabila (DRC) among his victims. His blood for "presidential blood" has not quenched, they claim.
Back to the rumors. Is Salma Kikwete Hutu? When I mentioned to my friend about this rumor, his answer was "I wish God would turn that into truth." We live at a time when Hutu lives have lost any value. Read the latest reports by Human Rights Watch and you realize the level of slaughter going on in the Congo against Hutus directed by the Rwanda supported M23 rebels. The carnage is beyond despicable. And why wouldn't anyone wish for a biblical Esther to stop it?
That said, the attacks against Salma appear well coordinated. The rumors were first spread by Rwanda's journalist for hire, Andrew Mwenda through his Twitter. They were recirculated by the Kagame Twitter corps--a fanatic but well paid group whose only task is to tweet and retweet Rwandan propaganda. Within minutes, Kikwete was trending. As one Kagame loyalist tweeted: "Rwanda's are unrelenting when they make you an enemy."
While the campaign's sole goal is to silence Kikwete, the irony is that Kikwete has been largely mute. He has refrained from answering back to Rwanda and has maintained unprecedented restrain.
The cable that fanatically spreads the "news" does not ponder to notice the irony. Why would it be a problem (even if it were true) if Salma is indeed Hutu? She is not a Tanzanian head of state and Kikwete has every right to choose who he desires for a wife. This is strictly personal business that we have no permission to poke our noses into. Here is another similar case: many Rwandans know quite well that the leader of Interahamwe, Robert Kajuga, was Janet Kagame's guardian. Should we then associate Kagame's wife with Interahamwe?
While rumors have always been the main instrument for Rwandan politics, they appear to be intentional. Their goals are always sinister. Those who are old enough remember a time when Habyarimana's wife was rumored to be Tutsi. The insinuation here was that RPF infiltrators had gained entry into Habyarimana's household. Now Kagame's propagandists shamelessly repeat similar garbage.
Me thinks there must be something more important to do in Kigali than to make all kinds of rumors about someone's wife. As some Rwandan bloggers have wisely suggested, let's focus on ending malnutrition, which affects sixty percent of Rwandan children
Comments
Support Our Work Now !
Africa Realities Media is independent. Your support helps us expose injustice, challenge silence and produce evidence-based analysis on Africa and the Great Lakes Region.
Africa Realities Media offre un espace aux écrivains, chercheurs, experts, activistes, voix communautaires, militants, analystes et personnes ayant une expérience vécue qui souhaitent contribuer à des contenus réfléchis, responsables et courageux sur les changements nécessaires dans la région des Grands Lacs, ainsi que sur les réalités politiques, économiques, culturelles et sociales africaines souvent ignorées, minimisées ou mal représentées.
Nos articles et vidéos visent à ouvrir le débat, renforcer la sensibilisation, encourager la pensée critique et favoriser une réflexion plus profonde sur les réalités vécues par les populations africaines. Nous voulons aider les peuples de la région des Grands Lacs à mieux comprendre leurs droits, notamment leurs droits humains, leur droit au développement, leur droit à la dignité, à la sécurité, au bien-être et à une vie meilleure.
À travers nos contenus, nous cherchons également à rappeler aux décideurs, aux institutions publiques, aux acteurs régionaux et internationaux, ainsi qu’aux responsables politiques, leur devoir de transparence, de responsabilité et de redevabilité envers les populations qu’ils prétendent servir. Notre objectif est de contribuer à une culture de vérité, de justice, de participation citoyenne et de protection égale pour tous les peuples africains.
Why We Exist
Many abuses facing African people are committed by African states, ruling elites, armed groups, military forces and security services. But these abuses are often sustained by international silence, Western lobbying, trade interests, migration deals, mineral access, diplomatic partnerships and unequal global accountability.
Africa Realities Media exposes that system.
Lived Experience Matters
Survivors, displaced communities, refugees, families affected by repression, journalists, activists, women, young people and diaspora voices are not passive subjects. They are knowledge holders.
Their experiences must shape policy, advocacy, journalism and public debate. The people closest to injustice are often closest to the solutions.
Africa Realities Media is rooted in one principle: African lives deserve equal truth, equal justice and equal protection.
Popular Posts
Why Africa Realities Media Is Different
Africa Realities Media speaks to Africa and to the developed world. Many abuses facing African people are committed by African states and ruling elites, but they are often protected by international silence, lobbying, public relations, trade interests, migration deals and unequal global accountability. While governments pay lobbyists to present a good image abroad, ordinary African people continue to face violence, hunger, disease, poverty, repression and exclusion. We challenge the normalisation of African suffering and demand equal truth, equal justice and equal protection.
Pourquoi Africa Realities Media est différent?
Africa Realities Media s’adresse à l’Afrique et au monde développé. De nombreux abus subis par les peuples africains sont commis par des États africains et des élites dirigeantes, mais ils sont souvent protégés par le silence international, le lobbying, les relations publiques, les intérêts commerciaux, les accords migratoires et une responsabilité mondiale inégale. Tandis que des gouvernements paient des lobbyistes pour présenter une bonne image à l’étranger, des Africains ordinaires continuent de faire face à la violence, à la faim, aux maladies, à la pauvreté, à la répression et à l’exclusion. Nous contestons la normalisation de la souffrance africaine et exigeons une vérité égale, une justice égale et une protection égale.
Our work is designed to trigger debate, discomfort and action. We do not only expose injustice; we work for policy and systems change.
We want governments and institutions to address the root causes of inequality, disadvantage, discrimination, exclusion and barriers affecting African people. We believe lasting change must be shaped by people with lived experience.
Exposing Injustice in Africa
Africa Realities Media is an independent African accountability platform based in London. We report, analyse and challenge the systems that shape African suffering, silence African victims and protect abusive power.
We are not here to repeat diplomatic language. We are here to ask the questions that are often avoided: why are African deaths treated as normal? Why are African victims given less urgency? Why are governments that imprison, exclude, displace or kill their own people protected when they serve powerful international interests?
Africa Realities Media gives space to writers, researchers, experts, activists, community voices, campaigners, analysts and people with lived experience who want to contribute thoughtful, responsible and courageous content about the changes needed in the region, as well as the political, economic, cultural and social African realities that are often ignored, minimised or misrepresented.
Our articles and videos aim to encourage debate, raise awareness, stimulate critical thinking and support reflection. We seek to help people in the Great Lakes Region understand their rights to human rights, development and wellbeing, while also encouraging decision-makers to be more transparent, responsive and accountable.
Recent Posts
Appel à contributions
Sensibilisez le public aux causes qui vous tiennent à cœur. Prenez part au changement que vous souhaitez voir émerger. Aidez à combattre l'injustice partout où elle se manifeste.
Africa Realities Media accueille des articles originaux, analyses, tribunes, réflexions communautaires et commentaires fondés sur des faits concernant la région des Grands Lacs africains, ainsi que les questions liées à la justice, aux droits humains, à la gouvernance, aux conflits, à la paix, aux réfugiés, aux ressources naturelles et à la responsabilité publique en Afrique.
Nous accueillons également les annonces concernant de nouvelles ou d'anciennes publications liées à nos domaines d'intérêt. Vous pouvez annoncer gratuitement votre publication, notamment un livre, un rapport, une étude, un article académique ou tout autre travail pertinent.
Les articles doivent être rédigés en anglais ou en français et ne doivent pas dépasser 1 500 mots.
Veuillez inclure le nom complet de l'auteur, qui sera publié avec l'article s'il est accepté.
Avant de soumettre votre article, veuillez d'abord lire nos pages du site web afin de vérifier si votre article correspond à nos priorités éditoriales, à nos thèmes et à nos domaines d'intérêt.
Si vous avez un article, un commentaire ou une annonce de publication à partager avec un public plus large, veuillez l'envoyer par email à :
africarealitiesmedia@gmail.com
Nous étudierons la possibilité de publier gratuitement les articles et annonces de publications appropriés s'ils répondent à nos critères éditoriaux, notamment la pertinence, la clarté, l'originalité, l'intérêt public, le respect des communautés concernées et l'utilisation responsable des informations et des preuves.
Les articles sont publiés tels qu'ils sont soumis s'ils répondent à nos critères et à notre politique éditoriale. Nous ne procédons pas à une modification supplémentaire de votre article avant sa publication.
Comments
Post a Comment