Rwanda: Kagame’s so-called Vision 2020 turns into a Nightmare (09.08.07)
According to UNDP Rwanda National Human Development Report 2007 released last week, Kagame’s Rwanda is one of the top 15% most unequal countries in the world. According to the report, “the average income of the top 20% of the population has almost doubled since 1996, while the income of the bottom 20% has remained stagnant in the past 10 years”. It adds that “inequality has almost doubled in the last 20 years, placing Rwanda among the top 15% most unequal countries in the world”.
Kagame’s RPF government policies are directly the cause of growing poverty. The UNDP report adds that “if income distribution had remained constant since the war, then the average annual income would have been more than double what it is today among the bottom 20% of the population.” Between 2001 and 2006, there were 600,000 more people living in poverty at the end of that period.
The average income in the bottom 20% of Rwandans was estimated at 17,400 per person in 1996. Ten years later, that average income didn’t significantly change. That situation is directly caused by anti-social policies. The report says that “ if that bottom (poorest) quintile had maintained the same share of total income as in 1995, its average income today would have been over Rwf 28,600 per person per year. “In fact, the average income of the bottom 20% of the population, expressed in constant Rwf, has barely changed since 1996” the report concludes. During that period, the incomes of the top 20% have been multiplied almost by three!
Unsurprisingly, poverty has both deepened and extended to regions previously more secure. Kagame’s Rwanda is administratively divided in four provinces. According to regional distribution of poverty, the report indicates that “poverty increased in one province and deepened in two provinces since 2001, due to rising inequality. At current inequality rates, it is estimated that further growth could increase the gap between rich and poor without decreasing poverty”.
That situation is clearly illustrated by the huge gap existing between a primary school teacher’s salary and the one paid to Kagame monthly. A teacher in primary school earns 20,000 Rwf per month. In comparison, Kagame receives from the State every month “a wholesome working allowance of 4,781,700 Rwf and a residence and guest entertainment allowance of 6,500,000 Rwf” as provided for by Presidential Order n° 52 of 12/10/2006 modifying Presidential Order n° 59/01 determining allowances and other fringe benefits to be allocated to State Top Political Appointees (See http://www.primature.gov.rw/journal/J.O%20n0%2021%20du%2001.11.2006.pdf )
Cumulatively, that amount represents 565 months of a teacher’s salary. That’s 47 years of a teacher’s salary! Before 1994, the nominal salary of the President of the Republic was around 72,000 Rwf while the teacher’s salary was around 13.500 Rwf, which represented only five months of the latter’s salary.
One should note that additionally to that, Kagame receives also from the State “ a fully furnished state house, five permanent official vehicles with all their accessories, water and electricity bills fully paid by the State, modern communication equipment including a fixed telephone line, a mobile phone, fax machine, Internet connection, a satellite phone, a dish antenna and any other communication means where deemed necessary to allow him discharge his duties” and that ‘”that communication equipment installed in his office, in his residential house and in any other place as deemed necessary shall be paid by the State”!
Kagame’s salary is at 16,000€ per month in a country where GDP per capita stands at 180€. In comparison, in Belgium where GDP per capita stands at 27,000€, the Prime Minister receives from the State only 8,000€ per month while the minimum legal wage is 1,100€ per month. What’s most questionable is that Rwanda’s budget is funded at 60% by external donors. Kagame’s Rwanda budget is supported by external funds. The US contributes for 120 million USD, the UK for 56 million £ and Belgium for 35 million € per annum. Their budgetary support to Kagame’s Rwanda goes directly in the pockets of RPF government top political and military leaders leaving the population in misery.
Angered by those facts, during the last Cabinet Meeting summoned on last Wednesday, August 8, 2007, Kagame has instructed his minister of finance, James Musoni, who is also in charge of RPF Commission of Finance, to dismiss the report’s findings despite the fact that he chairs Rwanda National Human Development Report Steering Committee who produced the report. Being also Kagame’s relative and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the RPF Tristar Holding, a mafia company involved in different frauds and rackets, it’s a lost cause for him. More importantly, that futile exercise will not change anything to the fact that, for millions of Rwandans, Kagame’s so-called Vision 2020 turned into a horrible social nightmare.
By Dr Jean-Baptiste MBERABAHIZI
UDF Secretary General
Read full report on:
http://hdr.undp.org/docs/reports/national/RWA_RWANDA/RWANDA_2007_en.pdf