My family originates from what is today considered the Southern Province of Rwanda and before it was Huye, it was Butare. Before that, Belgian colonial masters, had the effrontery, the audacity, the impertinence, the chutzpah (**new word alert**), to call that very African city, Astrida, after their-queen-who-was-no-Gicanda, Queen Astrid.
Before this writing takes a turn, allow me to pause and praise those who re-designed the road infrastructure of Kigali. Gone are the days where we’d guide using nearby artifacts, talking about: “After you pass the Avocado tree, you will see a woman outside selling Mandazi, pass that house, then you will see Barokores wearing ingutiyas in church; right next to it is my house. We have a blue gate with a ‘Chien Mechant’ sign = ‘Beware of Dog’ Sign – designed to ward off thieves…Sha, nimba nta biscuit uzaniye abana, isubirireyo ntubakira.”
Butare was considered the Intellectual Capital because the National University of Rwanda, that both my parents attended, was situated there. Its inception was in 1963, it is the oldest University of Rwanda; in fact, student 001,a certain Ntabomvura Venan is still alive. Let us unfortunately, contrast that with my alma matter, Howard University that was founded for blacks in 1870 and celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 2020, the year I graduated! H.U.? You Know! As the great Madiba, Mandela warned, “Education is the most powerful weapon.” In other words, educate all Africans, change all of Africa.
Umunyabutare Avukana Atatu Y’isumbuye, Ababihakana mubipimira he?
Africa’s economic empowerment, however, is not today’s topic. Today I wish to share what my father shared with us, that Butare inhabitants refused to kill for almost a month after the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsis started. Alas, the long arm of death did eventually reach, when Interim President Théodore Sindikubwabo made a now-infamous speech in which he insulted those who were not “working” and told them to “get out of the way and let us work”. Today, we applaud the bravery of men and women who refused to “work” and participate in the infernal. It is well.
One time for humanity: santé!
With my warmest embrace,
Liv
LawyerLiv & Co. 
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