By Our Rwandan Reporter
At the National Leadership Retreat, known also as Umwiherero, which was held in Gabiro in Gatsibo District at the Rwanda Defence Forces Combat Training Centre, President Paul Kagame and meticulous Ugandan Journalist Andrew Mwenda disagreed ideologically.
This stemmed from government officials who’d taken to the floor to praise themselves for meeting 70% of their targets. President Kagame could hear none of this wondering how leaders could be proud of running a country at 70% efficiency.
Andrew Mwenda on the other hand sided with Rwanda comparing it to giants such as United States that didn’t have the same health insurance coverage as Rwanda. He felt the officials needed to be motivated and encouraged rather than be denigrated for doing nothing.
This is when President Kagame cut him short in his cheer-leading role towards the officials. We reproduce word by word of the intellectual debate that saw many rolling eyes at the retreat.
IN ANDREW MWENDA’s VIEW: LEVERAGE YOUR STRENGTHS…
Thanks for giving an old man of my age a chance to say something.
I have a feeling in me, all indicators – global based, Rwanda a poor country with low skills… has achieved a lot in construction, health, economic growth and consolidation of the state institutions. It has done well, business reforms, etc.
Why are we frustrated with ourselves?
When you look at what Rwanda has failed to do and what has been achieved, the country is on the right path.
Mr. President, don’t be frustrated. You should be motivated. You can fix those 30 percent.
IN PRESIDENT KAGAME’s VIEW: LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED. Aim For Perfection and Excellence. 100% Efficiency
You see, you fight with an army you have. If you have a sick army, that’s the one you have. It will be reflected in the battle. You can’t have a sick army and fight a war as if you have an army that is quick on their feet. The sickness in the army will be reflected in the way you fight battles.
Theoretically, how things should and can be done is known but a gap arises.
I still don’t agree with you. That sweetening of things is not my world.
Weaknesses are terrible. We have to call a spade a spade.
You are a journalist but I completely disagree with you. I leave that approach to you. Write stories, that’s fine with me. I am not here to praise good Rwandans for what has been achieved. I am here to discuss what you call ‘in spite of’. That’s my point. That’s important. My time should be spent on this weakness. What we have achieved, we have achieved. Mwenda, the problem is two-fold. It’s not about achieving. How do we sustain what we have achieved? How do we deal with ‘in spite of’ things so as to make progress?
I really don’t like your comments. You can write them in your Independent (news magazine). I am not here to tell people lies. I am going to fight them. I translate my frustrations into a fight.
Watch video below:
It’s on this note that we ask as BigEye.ug: what’s the best course for a country? Should a country focus on its strengths? Or should a country direct its energies at correcting its weaknesses? Do you agree that Rwanda shouldn’t compare itself to underperformers as Uganda and think it’s performing? Could it be two dwarfs trying to compare their heights? Let’s hear from you on this interesting debate.
