In history, there are moments that define the course of nations and shape the destiny of leaders. One such moment occurred in March 1991 when a young Paul Kagame, then a rebel leader, met with the formidable dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in N’sele, DR Congo.
For the first time someone said NO to Mobutu and this rejection, would ultimately reveal the indomitable spirit of Kagame and the transformative power of determination.
In 1991, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by Paul Kagame, was engaged in a fierce struggle against the regime of President Juvénal Habyarimana. Seeking to end the conflict, Mobutu, the President of Zaire (now DR Congo), invited Kagame for a meeting in N’sele. It was during this encounter that Mobutu made an astonishing offer to Kagame: any amount of money in exchange for RPF to return to refugee camps and end the RPF’s liberation war.
In the face of Mobutu’s tempting proposition, the young Kagame displayed unwavering resolve. He firmly declined the offer, refusing to compromise his principles and the cause for which he fought. Undeterred by the laughter that followed his rejection, Kagame maintained his composure and walked out of the meeting with a smile. Stating,
“No amount of money will ever but freedom.”
After this meeting, Habyarimana’s government kept on organising the genocide against the Tutsis and committed it. RPF had to stop the genocide and liberate Rwanda.
Later Mobutu’s own reign came to an end, as his oppressive regime crumbled under the weight of its own corruption and mismanagement.
RPF had achieved what many deemed impossible, transforming Rwanda’s political landscape and ushering in a new era of hope and progress.