August 20, 2016
August 20, 2016
Early on the morning of the 18th, we left Clouds with Dickson driving his trusty Land Rover and headed SW west through unexpectedly beautiful countryside – rolling hills covered with tea plant nurseries, banana, maize, beans, sweet potatoes, cabbage, eucalyptus and pine tree plots and cattle. There was no flat land for the first hour, but gradually a large long valley came into view. It had been marsh but is so fertile and wet, that anything grows on the valley floor. Stunning. Then the road climbed back up into the hills and Dickson stopped so we could take in the view of a pristine mountain lake. We had no idea this drive to Kigali would be so beautiful. After 2 hours, we hit paved road. That was a surprise too after dirt roads for the last 5 days. We soon came to the boarder crossing, which proved to be fairly easy. While Dickson made the transit with the vehicle, we went to a small office, had our passport information recorded and were provided a numbered chit. From there we went across the street to a small police station, where a policeman took our chit and pointed us to a border office on the other side of the border gate. Under a sign that said “Visa”, we gave the attendant our passports and $60. Twenty minutes later he returned our passports with Rwandan visas. So we were in Rwanda, but not out of Uganda. The next window took care of that detail. After 10 more minutes, Dickson joined us with the vehicle.
From then on we had paved roads, most of them in very good condition. We couldn’t help noticing differences between the 2 countries. In Uganda, roads are mostly rough dirt, schools are shabby and inadequate, medical facilities are few and also inadequate. People do not wear helmets in spite of the law and plastic trash is evident everywhere. Suddenly, we were in bustling communities with a busy economy, good roads, more schools, better health care, helmets on every motorcyclist and very little trash. What happened? It took awhile to find out as Dickson is unfamiliar with Rwanda. While he asked directions at every turn we were could see why the country is called “land of 1000 hills”. It is exceedingly hilly, including the capital city. San Francisco pales in comparison. Once at the Serena Hotel, our first 5-star experience on this trip, another unexpected treat, we said farewell to Dickson as we met our Kigali guide for 2 days, Robert.
Robert was a very upbeat and talkative fellow, who talked politics all the while he drove us around Kigali, the capital city. He is 42 and so was old enough to remember the genocide of 1994, but was living in Uganda, where he had grown up. As soon as the genocide ended, he moved back to Kigali and has been in Rwanda ever since. He told us that hatred between the tribes had never existed before the 20’s, but grew and increased from the 30’s until small genocidal killings began to occur after the majority Hutus overthrew the ruling Tutsi king in 1959. It is a long and complicated story that you can read about elsewhere if you are interested. The good news, is that now, 22 years later, the people have forgiven the perpetrators and the country is recovering and prosperous. Everywhere we looked the energy was upbeat, people were colorfully dressed and busy. Robert is interested in the future and chooses to put the past behind him. However, he wants tourists to know and not forget what happened. We won’t. He took us to the National Genocide Memorial, where we spent 2 1/2 hours going through the well organized, interesting and painfully sad exhibits. What we saw made us upset and angry at the senseless killing of so many people for no good reason. The killings were completely planned and well organized, right down to the butchery that ensued. When the genocide began on April 7, 1994, 1 million Tutsi’s and Hutu sympathizers were systematically killed at the rate of 10,000 per day, by machete, gun, rape, dismemberment and butchery for 4 months. The government’s intent was to wipe out the Tutsi population. They succeeded in killing 3/4 of the Tutsi people. Outside the museum were gardens of remembrance and mass graves of 250,000 people, most of whom have not been identified. Survivors, many of whom are the only one alive in their family, still come here to be with their loved ones. We learned that there are mass graves and memorials in hundreds of villages throughout the country.
The biggest factor that has helped the country to recover is a program called Gacaca, which means “civil court”. Over 12,000 local community courts were created by the new government after the genocide ended, to allow citizens to try the perpetrators of the killings locally and meet out justice or offer forgiveness, when perpetrators acknowledged their deeds and expressed regret. Because of this court system, thousands have been brought to account for their deeds quickly and effectively. Many are serving time in prison and many have had light sentences and/or been forgiven.
The population before the genocide was 7 million. Today the population is 12+ million and growing. Over 60% of the population is under 25 and does not remember the event. The president, Paul Kagame, who led the military coup that ended the genocide in late 1994, was recently reelected for a third term and, just last week, a referendum was passed that allows him to continue being reelected for life. Robert voted for him and the referendum, because Kagame is making huge strides to improve infrastructure, increase business and jobs, provide free education through high school and offer inexpensive health care. All Rwandans, both Hutus and Tutsis, who escaped the genocide at one point or another by becoming refugees in one of the bordering countries were invited to return after the genocide and many have done so. More are gradually returning, while a number of exiles are anti-government and putting up some resistance. Robert hopes they will just return and get on with life. While the genocide was taking place in 1994, the rest of the world stood on the sidelines, watching, but doing nothing.
Meanwhile, Robert drove us around the city explaining different buildings, including many for the government and military. He drove by the centrally located, large, old, congested, street-less, hillside slum with no plumbing and very little electricity. Then he showed us where the middle class and the rich live. We were surprised at the number of middle class homes and apartments. Although Kigali was not destroyed during the genocide, most of the city is of new construction, including wide streets and 4 lane roads. Street lights have been added on all the main roads. According to Robert this has significantly reduced the crime rate, especially of assaults on women. He also took us to an art gallery, where we saw a few paintings we liked, met the artists and considered purchasing one from an artist named Emmanuel. That evening we ate dinner at Heaven, a restaurant specifically reserved by our travel agent, Stacey. It was clearly an upscale, outdoor ex-pat eatery with good food and a small art gallery that included the work of Emmanuel. This time we purchased the piece we had admired earlier. Hope it makes it home intact.
All this in a day and a half. By 3:30 on the 19th, we were at the airport for our 7pm departure for Zambia. We learned why we needed so much time. At every point of entry, we had to go through another security station, removing shoes, belts, watches, etc. Although Robert said Rwanda is a happy place, we noticed security police and military guards everywhere. Way more than any other African country we have visited. Robert admitted that the insurgent resistance is, unfortunately, not finished.
Far SW corner of Uganda. Beautiful green valleys and hills
Unexpected gorgeous lake with fisher me in log boats and islands too.
Last village in Uganda before the border.
Entering Rwanda was almost as easy as walking under this bar.
Kyanika, first town in Rwanda. Note big building, paved road and busy people
Market day in outskirts of Kuanika. Note the heavy potato loads
Us and Emmanuel Nkuranga, the Artist who painted this picture, “Waves of Sunshine”.
August 25, 2016
Have been unable to communicate while in the bush, where we have been for several days. Have an hour in the Lusaka airport waiting to fly to the next bush area, where we will be out of pocket again. Am sending this a bit hastily without being able to add all the photos I intended, but want you to get something. Be assured we are having a grand time prowling around for animals and shooting many with our sturdy cameras.
Adventures with Julia 