NOTE - Sorry for those who popped in to read this during the weekend. I typed straight into the blog site and then could not get the online spelling to work! Also could not copy to spell check in Word. So now you know - Not only can I not write I cannot spell either LOL)
Sadly I have just not had the time in the last few days to jot. So while I have a network connection I will just quickly note a few comments and thoughts.
Firstly I wrote in a previous jotting that there is a law that forbids driving of any sort on the last Saturday of a month. Well that's today - Its called "Muganda" which means general cleaning.
Essentially between 7am and 11am no one may be on the road in any form of motorized transport, that means taxi's as well.
Citizens are urged to use the time to do a general clean in their immediate vicinity so for example in the spirit of good "guestlyness" I ventured out onto our street at 9 and helped my various neighbours pick up some litter and in general just socialised on the pavement.
The funny side of course is if you ARE caught by the men in their "Shouting Green" jackets you are immediately apprehended and fined (Frw50000, about R500!) AND to add insult to injury you are not permitted to use the vehicle until the Muganda is over, and the fine is paid! Therefore you will need to trot down to the local authority and there you get to collect your keys and a receipt.
On the way in just after 11 to the office I was chuckling to see a handfuls of scooter drivers all pushing there metallic steeds up hill or downhill (As they may not even sit on the beast and freewheel)
what's quite pleasant to see that although it is damn inconvenient the people who have transgressed seem reasonably accepting of their fate.
Last night was a little "Tonk" and the effects are felt in the mouth and the head this morning. The guys from the office decided to take me to a local hotel/tavern nearby the airport - Very popular among the locals on a Friday night and the dish of repute is a plate of "Fry's" very McDonaldish and they order a fish (sorry but left camera at home so no pic) that is a little like a red snapper in appearance BUT is much larger and is roasted and is garnished with onions and tomato. But the treat is the marinade they use, very yummy and very moreish.
The tradition is to "Tuc In", so not much politeness. The poor fish is soon reduced to the bones and head only, as hungry hands pull shreds of the flesh and wash it down with a Mutsig (pronounced Mutsing), the local beer.
After that we went of to the Kigali Golf Club and joined others on the terrace overlooking the well tended greens and drank yet more beer. This time Bell! A Ugandan beer.
To understand a little about the country naturally you need to know their history - so here just some bullet points to give you background.
- Germany "looses" the country at the end of the 2nd worldwar and it is given to Belgium as a "protectorate"
- In 1959 there are civil unrest and a minority tribe Tutsi's are generally run out of Rwanda
- They take shelter in the then Zaire and Uganda
- Those in Zaire are treated as citizens of Zaire given full citizenship and intergrated into the countries lot, generally getting good education and like I guess expats anywhere work hard and develop a strong intellect and work ethic
- And end up "becoming" French speaking Rwandans
- Those who flea to Uganda are treated as refugees, and are essentially left to camp along the border of the two countries
- They end up becoming "English" Rwandans (The current President among them)
- In the early '60's there is independence and the Belgium leave - literally overnight.
- No internal security is in place and the pace hots up as far as eradicating the Tutsi's
- More mass exodus' take place.
Over the next 30 years the country is one massive pleasure ground for a then ruling Hutu based population and the general ethics is one of nepotism and abuse (And killing) of those not deemed part of the country.
- In Uganda - after Idi Amin (Remember him the guy who proclaimed himself - His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.) Had attacked Tanzania who then in turn responded using help of Ugandan opposition and....
- Yup you guessed it the Rwandan Guerrillas on the border who were persuaded to fight for the current incumbent of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni. and made promises that if he was put in power he would reward them. NOTE - As I type Museveni is elected for the third term and today I hear on the BBC that he has already secured 60% of the vote
- Museveni get in Amin flee's and the Rwandans in Uganda of course now have arms and support and they turn their attention to going back home.
- The plot is hatched and a advance guard head for Kigali and the plan is that they will in a three day campaign overthrow the country and allow all those exiled to return.
- Not all plans are perfect and they are ambushed on day 2 and there leading general is killed.
- My understanding it then takes another 6 years of bloody battles on the Ugandan and Rwandan border
- Finally some peace is agreed and the deal is that some 600 odd of the Ugandan group can stay in Kigali as part of a pact to start a process of reconciliation
- Of course not everyone agrees!
- The 600 are not monitored very well and actually end up being a few thousand quartered in the barracks they are allocated
- The then Rwandan President is blown out of the sky and that triggers a major reaction and the Rwandan Army try ambush the "600" in the barracks (I am sure I am right in saying that the barracks they were using was actually the parliament building - still pock marked and bullet scarred) Of course they find a massive and well armed rebel group and the rest we know as the genocide!
- A major, who soon is a General Major, leads a massive army armed with weapons from Tanzania, and the supporters of Museveni, and it is not inconveniently that they also have Libyan weapons, having captured them from Idi Amin's forces, who were backed by the kindly, and ever so decent Mr Gaddaffi.
- That Major is today the President. President Paul Kagame. A man, who to a outsider and "Muzunga" like myself is doing the most remarkable job!
(I am sure that I am as accurate as an outside can be - who's not a historian - to the locals I apologize for any careless errors)
So the point I was actually making is that I am drinking with a group of "English" Rwandans - therefore they are partial to the Bell beer having mostly grown up drinking it. (gee I guess I should have just got to the point and said that!)
So after another few rounds of beer, I finally excuse myself and a colleague takes me home.
I have said in the previous jotting I would talk of frustrations and I will, but for now I must dash, but a quick one - On the second day and having learned to live in fear of the washing lady of the house (Picture in an earlier Jotting), for her sole purpose it seems it to get a piece of clothing removed at any cost and wash it! I go to the cupboard to take out my best and most comfortable Nike shoes (Light and ever so trendy) only to find they are not there.
A quick look around the room confirms my suspicion that they must have made their way to the wash! Indeed, there outside hanging from the line are what where perfectly clean shoes, now brown and stained from the water.
What can I say - Welcome to Africa baby!
MJM
Kigali, Rwanda
25 Feb 2006 (Edited 27 Feb 2006)
