Standing ovation for Kagame at Oxford University

President Kagame (at front right) holds the ‘Distinction of Honor for African Growth Award’ at the audience rose in a standing ovation (Photo by Albert Rudatsimburwa via Twitter)

After more than an hour of speaking and open discussion on issues ranging from local to region, an audience at Oxford University delivered to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame the ‘Distinction of Honor for African Growth Award’. It is the first such award, which the elite British academic institution plans to make as regular occurrence.

President Kagame was invited as guest speaker at the Oxford Africa Business Conference, an MA student-led event organised by the Oxford Business Network for Africa at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. Today May 18, 2013, was the D-Day. The President spoke for about 25mins from a prepared speech.

“Rwanda is the 5^th best investment destination in the world,” he told the audience of academics and policymakers. “It takes only 6 hours to register a business in the country.”

What Rwanda can, other Africans can as well

However, President Kagame was not there to speak about Rwanda alone. He told the attentive audience that just like Rwanda has seen significant changes, Africa in general was experiencing a shift in poverty levels. Mr Kagame said between 2005-2008, poverty reduced across the continent.

“Africans living on $1.25 per day fell from 52% to 48%,” said Kagame. In Rwanda, “poverty reduced by 12% between 2008 and 2012…. 1 million Rwandans were pulled out of poverty!”

“If Rwanda can go from where it has been to where it is today, other African countries can grow and move forward too,” said the President, noting that Rwanda was targeting 11.5% growth in the next 5 years.

He added: “Africa’s growth is driven by structural changes within African countries such as political stability and better governance.”

However, the President said challenges that impede growth still exist. “We need to invest more in the youth, technology and innovation,” said Kagame.

After the speech at a podium, there was a standing ovation from the audience as the Head of State smiled – seeming overwhelmed by the reception. Then the President moved to a prepared seat. It was time for the Q&A session. From the questions which were raised and the hands raised seeking a chance to ask, it was clear this is the time many were waiting for.

“Governance in Rwanda is about people”

The issues ranged from local to regional. As expected, the there was a question about alleged human rights abuse in Rwanda. The crisis in eastern Congo also came up.

On his government allegedly being authoritarian, President Kagame said criticisms of his leadership by international community and human rights groups are not founded on fact.

“Governance in Rwanda is about people” said Kagame. “The criticism is subjective and does not match the facts and numbers coming from Rwanda.”

The President said health, education and democratic participation in Rwanda is growing. “This is backed by evidence,” he added. Those who say he is authoritarian have a “confused agenda” and that they “come from outside”.

“If you’re providing food security for your people, if you are feeding them, how is that against human rights?” wondered President Kagame. “…How can providing health coverage and education to over 90% be authoritarian…democracy is about people.”

As expected as well, the crisis in eastern Congo was waiting. The person who posed the question put it to him that it was strange Rwanda is blamed for fomenting trouble in DRC, but the government of Rwanda consistently denied the allegations.

“Problems of Congo started before I was born,” said Mr Kagame, adding that the Congolese crisis should be traced from decades ago, and has been compounded by the government in Kinshasa and the UN. The world body has had some 22,000 troops for more than a decade in DRC known as MONUSCO, but it has largely been unable to contain any crisis there.

DR Congo is looking to blame someone else for its long-running problems, said Kagame. He added: “People are just there wondering….why don’t these Congolese people like Kagame… not realizing the context of imperialism behind it”.

What happens after 2017?

On the internal front, a question came claiming there was growing inequality in Rwanda, which the Head of State pointed out was “not true”. As for the issue of national unity and reconciliation, President Kagame said the “diversity in our society should not only be a problem but a solution”.

The other issue the President tackled at length was the period after his current 7 year term ends in 2017. The question was actually whether he would seek a third term. “I have not even given thought to a third term,” he said.

“Some say I should stay, others that I shouldn’t, yet others that I shouldn’t have been there in the first place,” added the Head of State.

At the end of a hour -and-half hour session, a delegation from the Oxford Business Network for Africa stepped forward and handed President Paul Kagame their inaugural ‘Distinction of Honor for African Growth Award’. The next minutes were for another standing ovation as the President looked on amazed.