Politics

“We’re Not The Same Old Idiots”: Kagame’s Fiery Response Rocks Global Diplomatic Corps

In a watershed diplomatic moment that sent shockwaves through international corridors of power, President Paul Kagame delivered what may be remembered as one of the most forceful challenges to the international order by an African leader in recent history. Speaking at the Kigali Convention Centre during an annual diplomatic luncheon alongside First Lady Jeannette Kagame, what began as a traditional gathering transformed into a powerful indictment of global double standards and what Kagame termed “manufactured narratives” about Rwanda’s role in regional politics.

Regional Security: A Matter of Life and Death

“For us, this is not academic discourse,” Kagame declared, his voice carrying the weight of Rwanda’s historical trauma. “If you think Rwanda is in eastern Congo causing problems, would you mind bothering to understand why would Rwanda be in eastern Congo? Fighting there. Why? You need to answer that.”

The President’s address came at a crucial moment, following a controversial UN expert group report and subsequent US statement that largely blamed Rwanda for regional instability while appearing to absolve the DRC and other regional actors. The timing was particularly significant as Rwanda marks the dual anniversaries of Kwibuka 30 and Kwibuhora 30, commemorating three decades since both the genocide against the Tutsi and the country’s liberation.

Dismantling the Expert Narrative

In one of the most striking portions of his address, Kagame systematically deconstructed the credibility of international expert groups. “A group of experts – what are they experts in, actually?” he questioned, his tone mixing incredulity with controlled anger. “You don’t need to be an expert in anything. You just have to toe the line of those using you, including the very people from whom originated this problem as of the history that goes way back to colonial times.”

The Historical Context of Cross-Border Communities

Providing a nuanced historical perspective often missing from international discourse, Kagame highlighted the complex dynamics of cross-border communities. “There are people in this country, as we speak, who have their uncles, their grandfathers, who live across on the other side of the border,” he explained. “Like, for example, in Uganda, there has never been a problem to do with that district. It has never caused a problem between Uganda and Rwanda. No. They are taken as Ugandans. And we accept that.”

The Persistent Threat of Genocide Ideology

The President’s most emotionally charged moments came when addressing the continued threat of genocide ideology in the region. “The very people who murdered people here in Rwanda, those who carried out the genocide, still exist, are still armed, are still practicing the ideology of genocide in our neighborhood in Eastern Congo,” he stated. “And people do it with impunity. And then arguments start… Oh, you mean these genociders, but are they there? Are they still there? But we are told there are a few.”

Leadership and International Relations

In a particularly memorable moment that captured global attention, Kagame offered a stark assessment of international leadership: “When I see leaders, I know them. I also know idiots when I see them,” he declared. “You can imagine the combination of both – it’s a disaster, absolute disaster. It is even worse, even more dangerous, if the very people who hold the power in their hands decide that they will be manipulated and played around for some interest by idiots.”

The UN Peacekeeping Paradox

Kagame highlighted what he sees as the fundamental contradiction in the UN’s presence in DRC: “We have had the UN peacekeepers under the UN in that country for close to three decades… The continued presence for three decades, when they went there to address problems, means there are still problems to address or that actually the first problems to address were not addressed.”

The Politics of International Aid: The Mozambique Case Study

The President revealed the complex dynamics of international support, particularly regarding Rwanda’s peacekeeping missions in Mozambique. “When we were taking Mozambique and partners and say, you know what, we are able to do what we can do but we can’t do everything. At least with Rwanda, limited resources in all ways, we can’t afford to finance our operations there,” he explained.

Kagame then exposed a troubling pattern of politicized aid: “And when it came to some help that came from European Union, it came grudgingly. And they said, why are you grudgingly assisting us? They said, yeah, you see some people are saying you are in the Congo.” His response was unequivocal: “Here we are in Mozambique. We are talking about Mozambique. So are you going to punish Mozambique for our crimes, for our offenses, for doing what you don’t like?”

Democratic Legitimacy and Regional Politics

Kagame took aim at the democratic credentials of some regional leaders, particularly the DRC’s electoral process. “We talked earlier about elections here, and people tell us they want democracy everywhere,” he said. “The person causing problems between Rwanda and the DRC has never twice been elected. And you know it.”

Economic Development and International Controls

The President detailed Rwanda’s experience with AGOA, revealing the deeper complexities of international trade relations: “We made a mistake. A happy mistake,” he said. “We made a mistake of saying, you know what, we have found some way of growing our textile industry… Little did we know it was to serve some of us more than others.”

Rwanda’s Non-Negotiable Stance

In what may be remembered as the speech’s most powerful moment, Kagame articulated Rwanda’s unwavering position on national security: “We have paid our highest price ever in our lives. This genocide… We will never, never, never go back to paying that similar price we paid 30 years ago. It doesn’t matter how powerful anybody is. Maybe it will come to a point if anyone insists on that, then that is maybe one way of wiping Rwanda off the map, because we will not yield an inch, never.”

Values and Interests in International Relations

The President challenged the selective application of international values: “Is there a moment where the values, where the interests that people talk about become incompatible with the truth, with the facts or with evidence?” he asked. “I don’t think they need to be incompatible. It’s actually possible to drive hard for values that you believe in, even mind so much your interests. But at the same time, those could very easily be served by truth, evidence, facts.”

A Path Forward

Despite the forceful critique, Kagame concluded with an opening for constructive dialogue: “We want that to continue. We will do our best wherever we can, but we will also not agree with everything,” he stated. “Some of you tell us it is normal to disagree. So, I think we might disagree, but we can also always find ways to resolve matters where we don’t agree.”

The Impact

As diplomats departed the Kigali Convention Centre, there was a palpable sense that they had witnessed more than just another diplomatic address. A senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked, “This wasn’t just a speech; it was a manifesto for a new kind of African leadership – one that refuses to accept the old patterns of international relations.”

For Rwanda, a country that has transformed itself from the ashes of genocide to become a model of development in Africa, Kagame’s address represented more than just diplomatic straight talk – it was a declaration that the era of unquestioned Western narratives about African affairs is drawing to a close.

As one African ambassador noted, “Today, President Kagame didn’t just speak for Rwanda – he spoke for a continent that’s increasingly unwilling to accept international double standards. When he said ‘We’re not the same old idiots you dealt with 50 years ago,’ that resonated far beyond Kigali.”

The speech will likely be remembered as a defining moment in African diplomacy, where a leader not only challenged the prevailing international narrative but did so with unprecedented directness and historical context, marking what many see as the beginning of a new era in global diplomatic relations.

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