Rwanda’s Formula 1 Grand Prix ambitions are not only about racing on smooth tarmac, the country is increasingly getting under a magnifying glass and the country’s leader seems to have prepared for the ripple effects.
President Kagame recently told journalists that a backing dog cannot stop a moving train.
“A dog will bark at a moving train, but will not stop the train by its barking” Kagame recently said while dismissing critics of the Formula 1 coming to Rwanda in 2030s.
Lewis Hamilton, a Seven-time Grand Prix world champion on Thursday on the sidelines of the United States Grand Prix called for liberation of Syria, Sudan, Palestine and Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, his remarks have been interpreted differently especially among the critics of the Formula 1 scheduled for Rwanda.
“I think we must continue to mobilize for the liberation of Congo, Sudan, Syria and Palestine. I hope that one day we will succeed in establishing peace in all these regions,” according to reports of his speech.
The pro-Tshisekedi regime enthusiasts picked up Hamilton’s wish to see populations affected by conflicts find peace as a denounciation against Rwanda.
The Kinshasa government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the FRN rebels that have repeatedly humiliated Congolese troops.
Kigali has countered Kinshasa regime accusations and blamed it on providing training, support and deploying FDLR militia alongside FARDC troops in fight against the FRN rebels.
President Kagame in December 2024, officially surprised the world by announcing Rwanda’s bid to host a Grand Prix.
The project envisions hosting the competition in the early 2030s. This announcement has sparked mixed reactions from different parts of the world.
Hamilton did not directly mention Rwanda’s Formula 1 ambitions.
Without explicitly opposing the organization of a Grand Prix in Rwanda, Hamilton recalled the need to seek peace in regions where conflicts continue to cause heavy human consequences.
