Saturday 25 July 2015

Life in the city



The new Kigali Convention Centre 

 Well, almost three months in Kigali and I feel as if I have become a ‘Kigalian, if such a word exists but if not I could have just created a new one.

One of the differences, I notice between here and Cyangugu is that it so much hotter – we are well and truly into the hot, dry and dusty season with no rain expected until, at least, September although I have been reliably informed it always rain on 15th August – Assumption Day so I have made a note in my diary to see if it happens.

There are, of course, many other differences between Kigali and Cyangugu and having gone back last weekend for a very quick visit, I realized again that you could be in another country.  A lovely welcome from Peace Guest Staff with lots of hugs and smiles for their General Manager (as I think I will always be known) and so lovely to see them and to and to be back amongst ‘my family’ in Cyangugu.

The infamous road through the Nwungwe Forest is now 99% completed having had major works done on it. Now there is tarmac and white lines down the middle although the single white lines seems to make no difference to the drivers who continue to overtake on the bends. How different this road is now compared to when I first came to Rwanda in 2006 and what seemed to be journey of many hours through the forest along a very rough road with many, many potholes.

Driving through Nyungwe

Coming back on Sunday, we had a particularly fast driver and with not much traffic and no sign of police for the first three hours he had obviously decided that the new road was a great opportunity to go even faster.  One near miss and five a half hours later we, thankfully, arrived safe and sound in Kigali – my knuckles were a bit whiter from clinging to the handle on the back of the seat in front of me and even though I don’t suffer from travel sickness even I had began to feel a bit queasy.

Nearly everywhere in Kigali there is construction work going on including all around Solace Ministries.  The noise here is so much greater than the peace of Cyangugu – dogs barking in the night, soldiers in the local military camp doing their 6am routine of running and chanting and then at 7.30am the work starts in a builder’s yard just below Solace. We are extending the terrace at the guesthouse and the sounds of cutting machines have been going on below my office windows that I have to keep open due to the heat so not a relaxing time.

On the road outside Solace, that has for many years been a dirt and rutted track, major improvements are being done which, when completed, will look very smart with pavements and either tarmac or paving blocks. A few weeks ago, when there were protests outside the British High Commission over the Rwandan official who was arrested in the UK, all the traffic was diverted from the main road and came past Solace so the combination of road-works, traffic, heat and dust is, I guess, all part of life in the city.


Diversion ahead!

Thankfully, the protests were all very peaceful and in true Rwandan style there was much singing and dancing so it felt more like a party.  The protestors wanted to stay there until the official was released but, on hearing that the trial was not going to be until October, I think the police decided that there was too much traffic congestion and, no doubt, hindering the President’s drive home from his office just down the road to his home the other side of the city.  It’s always interesting to see the President’s cavalcade go past – fast car after fast car with police, military, security hanging out of the windows.  I’m sure he would be far less visible if he discreetly drove past in a couple of cars or even went by moto!

Protest or party?

All across the city new hotels, office blocks, shopping centres are going up whilst large parts of ‘old Kigali’ are being knocked down. Marriott Hotels are building a large hotel in the centre of the city but I heard that there are now concerns as rooms on the top floor overlook the President’s house and gardens so could be a security risk.  Last week I visited a new Golden Tulip hotel built just outside the city, where the new airport will be built – this, currently, is the largest hotel in Rwanda.

Modern building

Walking through the city centre, I came across a more traditional approach to building but was unsure about the tree in the middle – maybe, a feature in the sitting room!

Traditional building

A couple of weekends ago, a new arts festival was held called ‘Umubuntu’ meaning Humanity – held over two evenings, in the new amphitheatre of the genocide memorial centre in Gisozi, it showcased performers from Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Sri Lanka and USA.  Most of the acts were music dramas and plays based around the themes of love, death, genocide, murder – some rather heavy subjects but all very well performed. Not being biased but I have to say the Rwandan performance was the best.

Before the start of each evening, a minute’s silence was held in memory of the 250,000 people buried at Gisozi – a sad reminder of the events in 1994.

'Umubuntu' at Gisozi

During these three months in Kigali, I have been fortunate to have been on some lovely visits to some parts of the country that I not seen before. Some very good friends from my church, Rob & Jan, treated me to a visit to the Akagera Game Reserve – with us was Jan’s Aunt, Irene, from the USA who was visiting Rwanda for the first time.  Close in age, they are more like sisters and spent most of the time, when we travelled, sitting at the back of the vehicle laughing - mostly at Rob’s expense. Armed with fans (the Chinese sort) they found them very useful for swatting the flies or me over the back of my head if I said anything out of turn.

My perception of Akagera was that it was a rather small park in the north east of the country with a few animals.  I discovered it covers 10% of Rwanda’s land mass and has wonderful savannah, hills with beautiful views across to Tanzania, lakes and many, many animals.

View across Akagera to Tanzania

Akagera has been very much in the news recently due to the re-introduction of lions, from South Africa, back into the park. When I was there, there was a sense of how peaceful it all was with the animals quietly grazing but I am sure this is all about to change!  

Bath time!

A few of the many animals in Akagera

From Akagera, we went down to Cyangugu and then to Kibuye, by boat, for a couple of days relaxation – Kibuye on Lake Kivu is one of my favourite places in Rwanda and on visiting a church, that was a site of a massacre in the genocide, I discovered some lovely murals hidden around one of the corners of the building.

Colourful boat trip to Kibuye

Late evening in Kibuye


Mural in Kibuye church

With other friends, Richard and Prilla, I was also treated to a few days away at a less known lake called Lake Ruhundo located in the north of the country. Next to another lake called Burera, we stayed in a lovely catholic retreat set high on a hill with wonderful views of the lake and the occasional view of one of four volcanoes that majestically appeared from behind the clouds.

Spot the volcano!

We spent a lot of time volcano spotting and sometimes you would not even know they were there and then one or two would suddenly appear.  The best time to see them, I understand, is during the rain season so I must try and plan a return visit.

My final visit was to the Rugezi Wetlands again in the north of the country.  The wetlands stretch for 46kms and known for its abundant birdlife, we spent a lovely couple of hours being rowed through the wetlands to see the birds and some of the beautiful flora and fauna.

Rugezi Wetlands

Not just the birds that were very beautiful

I have probably said this before but for a small country, Rwanda is truly beautiful and is really blessed to have three national parks (Virunga, Akagera, Nyungwe Forest), mountains, volcanoes, hills (at least a 1000!), tea plantations not to mention beautiful, friendly and smiling people. I still get amused at seeing the loads that people have on their back of their bikes on or their heads.

Count the mattresses!

Looking ahead, I have a youth team from my church arriving in just under four weeks.  They will be here for two weeks and much of the time we will be in Cyangugu where amongst other activities they will help to build a house.  Traditionally, we have built houses for genocide widows but this time we have been asked to build a house for a perpetrator who has just been released after serving twenty years in prison.

In September, we have three events here at Solace Ministries as they celebrate 20 years – one event will be for 600 mainly beneficiaries of Solace, then we will have an event for 300 including international and local partners, government, church and other officials and then to finish a thanksgiving dinner for 150.  Having been asked to support the arrangements for all three I am very thankful for my many years of event organisation.

My thoughts are very much turning to the end of October when my visa expires.  My plan is to come back at the end of September for a month’s holiday but, hopefully, by then to have a clearer sense of what happens next.  I am learning to leave much of this to God’s plan and as Steve Daughtery, my Rector at Southover Church said to me in an email “So I await God’s plans to unfold in your life (always an exciting edgy thing!!!) – I agree!


No comments:

Post a Comment