Today, we joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day of Peace 2022. The theme of this year – “End Racism. Build Peace.” – reminds us of how racism and other kinds of hate and stereotypical messages continue to poison people’s hearts and minds, which erodes the peace we all seek.

An example is the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which was a result of long encouraged and enabled politics of divisionism and hatred based on discrimination. Although the people spoke the same language, had the same beliefs and cultural systems, they still brutally killed each other, just because of their differences and identities.

To this day, in far too many communities and varied contexts, peace seems like an unattainable dream. People fight each other because of their differences in religion, ethnicity, materialistic rivals, etc, yet they can choose to work together to curb shared challenges like COVID 19 pandemic, poverty, climate change effects, inequality etc.

To celebrate the day, we have collaborated with Rwanda’s Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement alongside other partners to convene a youth parliamentary dialogue at the Parliament of Rwanda. The dialogue was held under the theme: The Rwandan model in upholding unity and sustainable peace – the role of youth in ending hate speech.

We believe that to lay a solid foundation for our future peace, it is necessary to nurture the passion, dynamism, creativity, and commitment of young peacebuilders and provide them with the tools to build peace in their schools, families, and respective communities.

The event convened more than 500 youth from all districts of the country, policy makers, development partners and CSO representatives. It kicked off with a ceremony of watering a peace tree, a ritual that was started in a similar event, back in 2014 at the Parliament of Rwanda garden. The tree is a reminder of everyone’s role in sustaining ideals of peace throughout generations.

In a country that has known conflict and violence, still dealing with so many of its consequences, has nurtured a culture of hard work and discipline, which has enabled its people to deter violence and killings among communities. All speakers alluded to the country’s commitment to peace, through enacting laws, establishing policies, creating platforms and spaces to teach young people about the country’s history, spreading messages of unity and reconciliation among many others. Some of the key quotes from the dialogue are;

“We all have a shared responsibility to stand for and pursue peace, which is one of the pathways to achieving #SDGs. What Rwanda offers through this dialogue is a new pathway to addressing some of the regional and global challenges.” – UN Rwanda Resident Commissioner, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo

“Let’s celebrate #PeaceDayRw2022 today, but let us all, every day, and in all actions, create and uphold peace. Spread Love, speak out against hate speech and listen to understand. It starts with me and you.” – Ambassador of Sweden to Rwanda, Johanna Teague

“I am an artist. I was discouraged from singing Ndi Umunyarwanda songs by adults, but I never stopped trying. As youths, we must be bold and committed to convincing adults of the consequences of hate speech and rather spread messages of #Peace and #unity.” – Youth, Jean Marrie Vianey Niyonkuru

“One can not give what they do not have. You cannot build peace when you still have wounds. There is need for concerted efforts in our families and schools to heal the wounds and teach young people our truthful and unbiased history. “ – Deputy Executive Directir at Never Again Rwanda, Eric Mahoro

“Ntabwo hakubakwa amahoro arambye urubyiruko rutabigizemo uruhare. Hakwiye gushyirwa imbaraga mu gushyiraho imbuga zihoraho urubyiruko ruhuriramo rugatanga ibitekerezo rugashaka n’ibisubizo ku mbogamizi ruhura nazo.” – Peace & Love Proclaimers Member, Agasaro Sharon

“Navukiye mu muryango wakoze Jenoside ndetse nigishijwe amacakubiri, gusa nabashije kurenga ayo mateka niyemeza gufatanya n’abandi kubaka igihugu kuko Leta yagiye idufasha kumva neza icyerekezo cy’ubumwe n’ubwiyunge.” – Mugorewase Rachel

“Amateka mabi igihugu cyacu cyanyuzemo akwiye gutera urubyiruko imbaraga zo gukosora amakosa yakozwe kandi ubuyobozi bwiteguye kubashyigikira, kubaha urugero rwiza, umutekano n’icyizero cyo kubaho mu mahoro.” – Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana –

“Twebwe nk’Inteko Ishinga Amategeko tuzakomeza gutora amategeko akumira anahana imvugo zuje urwango, twibanda ku gutanga umusanzu mu kubaka amahoro n’ubumwe no guha umwanya urubyiruko ngo rubashe gusobanukirwa amahoro arambye.” Speaker at Parliament of Rwanda, Mukabalisa Donatille.

Some of the resolutions from the dialogue include, but are not limited to;

• Fighting hate speeches among youth and adults
• Creating more safe spaces for peace
• Enacting laws and policies to fight hate speeches
• Teach youth to use social media effectively.

As an organization with peacebuilding as a core pillar for 20 years now, we have been working with youth and adults under various programs and projects with the aim of preventing genocide, building peace, fostering societal healing, and managing conflicts. We do this by providing safe spaces for youth to discuss the root causes of conflict and overcome their wounds. We also equip youth with critical thinking skills, to foster empathy, appreciate diversity and develop a sense of tolerance and self-responsibility.

Speaking about #Peace is not enough. We also need to nurture a lifestyle that promotes peace. Devoted to peace building, we commit to equipping the young generation with the tools and capacity to play a meaningful role in shaping efforts to fight hate speech, address stereotypes, prejudice, and polarization, promote social cohesion and build inclusive and peaceful societies in their contexts.

Peacebuilding is a journey…….we press on towards lasting peace.

By Immy Mulekatete

This was the one aspect that loomed large during the 2022 International Youth Day conference hosted by Never Again Rwanda (NAR) in Kigali, through the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The conference attracted over 100 participants, representing the young and older generations from various districts across the country. The two parties reflected on the divergent cultural norms, attitudes, and taboos between them that seem to cause contention. What was evidently obvious was the desire for both generations to explore strategies to foster a healthy and sustainable intergenerational solidarity.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, intergenerational solidarity was put under severe strain. The youth were faced by job losses, income squeezes, heavy dependency by the older generation and vulnerable members of their families, mental health issues and interruption in their school programming. The older generation was more prone to the COVID-19 virus and susceptible to death by it. Such a context has the potential to create and exacerbate Intergenerational tensions that are not only unique to crises. In-home and community settings, the old blame the young for not respecting them enough and the young criticize the old for not understanding them or giving them a chance to voice their ideas.

In a play titled “Urunana Rw’Abato N’abakuru Turukomereho” loosely translated as “Let us support the network of the young and old” performed by the youth troupe, Urumuri Talent Center, did an outstanding job in re-enacting the collective strain and tension between the young and the old. The play portrayed the old generation’s contempt for the youth’s sense of entitlement, and abandonment of moral values. The play, on the other hand, also painted a picture of the younger generation lamenting that the older generation denies them the freedom and opportunity to pursue and realize their dreams. These are the divergent views that the conference recognized, reflected upon, and drew suggestions that would allow both the old and young generations to work together to build the world they enjoy.

The conference explored diverse modes of dialogue to allow for a participatory and balanced conversation, such as keynote speeches, panel discussions, play performances, group exercises and plenary sessions. On the panel that consisted of youth, parents and CSO representatives, several issues surfaced. All ages have often been jilted by the past generation; in any time period, the older generation has always felt anxious about the erosion of the foundation of culture and values. The youth representative on the panel urged parents to find time to interact with their young children even in the hustle and bustle of life. The parent representative cautioned the youth on the negative use of social media such as social comparisons that are extremely harmful. The youth were encouraged to be active and pro-active in the existing community governance and citizen participation spaces such as Umuganda and Intekoz’Abaturage in a bid to learn and contribute to solving societal challenges

Several action points emerged from the conference, hinged on the need to make sacrifices for the greater good.

• As the population changes and the youth represent the dominant demography, so should the democratic process reflect the voices, opinions, and priorities of the youth.
• There is a need to train the youth on critical thinking and critical clicking in the positive use of social media as opposed to its negative utility that damages their self-esteem and mental health.
• It was highlighted that intergenerational solidarity is a two-way street that calls for obligations and responsibilities from both parties. While the older generation has demanded respect from the youth, they have an obligation to listen to the youth and educate them.
• Foras for engagement between the younger and older generation should be a two-way engagement platform instead of a one-way communication by the older generation. The older people should welcome feedback from the young ones.
• There is a need for intergenerational solidarity in tackling unemployment and inequality. The alarming rate of unemployment and socio-economic stress in the current young generation will severely impact their ability to provide favourable life opportunities to their children.
• As part of growth and development, the youth are constantly seeking, interacting with, and consuming new knowledge, ideas, and information. It is therefore critical that the older generation should be cautious about the information they feed to the youth.

When communication opportunities are offered, linkages are strengthened, and gaps reduced between generations. Action across all generations and from all key players is vital towards the attainment of SDGs. We therefore must leverage this solidarity to create a favorable world for all of us and the generation to come.

By Immy Mulekatete

In its various interventions and push for positive impact, Never Again Rwanda has created a safe space for peace that serve as a platform for dialogue, healing, and reconciliation for the older and younger generation. These spaces serve as a point of engagement with the youth, to provide them with opportunities to tell their stories.

Some of these spaces include the annual NAR Youth Commemoration Conference, that covers commemoration policies and practices of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsis. This year, on June 9^th, the annual youth conference followed the them of “Remember, Unite, Renew: My Story, Your Story, Shaping Our Future.” The conference brought together young people from different backgrounds who had been affected in the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsis. These youths embodied incredible courage in sharing their stories of resilience, journeys to overcoming past and present trauma, and their journeys to healing.

One of our participants, Irene Mizero, used this platform to share his story as a nine-year-old who started a bitter life, when his parents were imprisoned for their involvement in the genocide. During this time, he took on the responsibility of taking care of his siblings and found the courage to visit his parents regularly. Realizing that he was not discriminated against due to his parents’ crimes, he began looking for ways to contribute to Rwandan unity and reconciliation; in this spirit, he founded Mizero Care Foundation. Mizero says, “Young people should aspire to live in a country free of division and hatred, like our generation experienced. We must inherit peace and reconciliation for the next generation.”

Uwamahoro Claudine, whose parents were killed during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsis, suffered greatly because of her unidentified identity. Fortunately, in the past few days, she had been reunited with some of her loved ones. Despite her bitter experiences, she created a foundation of more than 30 people to help others reunite with family members. She added: “We stand before you as proof that the Tutsi Genocide took place and that all our efforts are needed to deal with its aftermath, and to combat the ideology and rejection of genocide.

The Executive Director of Never Again Rwanda, Dr Joseph Nkurunziza Ryarasa, called upon all stakeholders to engage young people, give them the opportunity to tell their stories with confidence and learn to actively listen to others. “Now more than ever, it is important for us to take important lessons from our history and use the available platforms to reflect on how we can become active citizens.”

Everything we emphasize shows that we must draw strength and resilience from our past and honestly discuss how to build a peaceful future.  All stakeholders must also invest energy to create new spaces and strengthen existing ones because we cannot shape the future without facing our history with open and honest discussion.

Rwanda has made tremendous progress in its pursuit of unity, reconciliation, lasting peace, and sustainable development. From a country tainted with a dark history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, to one respected internationally for its conducive environment for investors, civic engagement for all citizens, preservation of the environment among many other aspects, just 27 years later. This progress is all courtesy of the deliberate strategies, policies, and interventions by the Government of Rwanda and its affiliate entities, as well as international and national CSOs, development partners, and the citizens. 

In line with the consistent efforts to build peace and increase the role of youth to promote peace values, Never Again Rwanda (NAR) in partnership with other peace actors on September 21, 2021, organized a hybrid national youth dialogue to commemorate the International Day of Peace. Under the theme: “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world: the role of youth in promoting peaceful values, the dialogue convened over 200 youth, decision-makers, CSOs, media, and development partners.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director at NAR, Dr. Nkurunziza Joseph Ryarasa urged peace actors to provide the younger generation with the tools and capacity to play a meaningful role in shaping efforts to address stereotypes, prejudice, and polarization, promote social cohesion, and build inclusive and peaceful societies in their contexts.

H.E Amb. Johanna Teague, the Swedish Ambassador to Rwanda, in her remarks, said; “it’s the youth’s time to contribute to peacebuilding”. She applauded youth for their resilience regardless of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She, therefore, called on the youth to be mindful of spreading hate messages through social media channels, rather share facts and promote peace on their digital platforms.

The panel discussion made up of a youth representative, youth MP, a psychotherapist and a peace actor discussed different challenges youth faced as a result of the pandemic and the underlying mental health issues that arose. The panel explored effective recovery strategies against the devastating social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 and how youth can continue working together and with other stakeholders to remedy the challenges and continue to promote peaceful values.

In his closing remarks, on behalf of Rwanda’s parliament, Ernest Kamanzi the youth MP called on the youth to use the available opportunities and have a patriotic mindset by striving for peace and guarding what has been achieved thus far. He also encouraged youth to be resilient and to engage in activities that promote peace as they continue to deal with the legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the key quotes from the participants include;

Youth, plan for your future instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. Marc Gwamaka, youth project manager at Aegis Trust

“My talent is my property. I have held on to this statement & it has helped me know how to use what is within me to promote peace values. Youth, know how to use your talents.” Providence Iradukunda from Youth Estimation

“Youth ought to take ownership in contributing to find solutions of challenges that youth are facing.” Honorable Veneranda

“The government is deliberate to engage & empower youth to be the solutions. Youth is the hinge to a peaceful future.” Hon. Karemera Francis from Rwanda parliament 

“Youth need to take advantage of the challenges they face today in a bid to work towards living for peace today and in the future.” Michel Muhirwa from GIZ

We can slow down and stop hatred via social media by adding more positivity. Marc Gwamaka, youth project manager at Aegis Trust

The young people crowned the day with their performances, in form of dance, music, poetry, and drama, all carrying messages of peace. Youth committed to upholding the values of justice, tolerance, and peace. 

Almost 60% of Rwanda’s population is made up of young people. Most of them were born after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – a dark time in history when democracy was threatened. It was a time when the regime abused the state, the laws, and used propaganda, fear, and terror to manipulate the people into committing wanton murders. Fast forward to the post-genocide reconstruction process that has not only focused on unity and reconciliation but on promoting democratic values and deliberately enhancing the participation of youth in the country’s development agenda. Today, the country is hinged on principles of accountability, transparency, and inclusive citizen participation.

To contribute to the Government of Rwanda’s efforts, Never Again Rwanda (NAR) in collaboration with varied partners provides safe spaces where young people and the community, in general, get to identify opportunities and raise social, economic, and political issues in their communities. On September 15, NAR convened over 100 youth in a national youth dialogue to commemorate the International Day of Democracy under the theme; “Strengthening youth participation in decision-making processes in a changing era.” Being a day that provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy, the youth, as well as other participants, used it to reflect on the necessary strategies to enhance sustainable peace and development through democratic values.

While kicking off the dialogue, the Executive Director at NAR, Dr. Nkurunziza Joseph Ryarasa emphasized the need to empower young people for them to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes.  He also added; “For the society to grow and evolve sustainably, it must be hinged on democratic values where citizens especially youth are meaningfully and constructively engaged in both development and implementation of policies.”

The event was graced by H.E Ambassador Nicola Bellomo from the European Union Delegation to Rwanda. In his remarks, he said; “Democracy is an evolving concept with new opportunities for political participation but also for new challenges. He further noted that the EU doesn’t talk about youth, rather talks with them. He reiterated the delegation’s commitment to broaden engagement with youth and forge new partnerships with them, so they can meaningfully involve themselves in the development of inclusive and peaceful societies.

The interesting panel discussion saw youth and experts delve deeper into the challenges that impede the participation of youth. Some of the challenges identified included; COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment, teenage pregnancies, lack of knowledge about their rights and responsibilities, lack of access to the internet (especially in rural areas), and the inter-generational gap between youth and adults, where some adults disregard views and opinion given by youth or intentionally exclude them during decision-making processes. Kamariza Solange, a young peacebuilder called for devising solutions to these challenges as a way to strengthen youth participation. Youth were tasked to ensure they take action and become involved in governance processes beginning from the lowest administrative levels which not only enable them to contribute towards policies linked to them but also contribute to achieving the country’s development agenda. Jesse Shyaka from Rwanda Youth Organizations Forum encouraged youth to be more open-minded and ensure they are accountable to themselves. He also called on fellow youth to devise solutions to the challenges in their communities, rather than waiting for any leader, government agency, or civil society organization. From the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP), Dr. Eric Ndushabandi urged the youth to develop a zeal for knowledge by informing themselves about national programs and policies, so as they always give their contributions from an informed point of view. He also encouraged youth to respect diversity as they enjoy the freedom and effectively use social media platforms for educative, awareness, and informing sharing purposes. Bahati Omar, a visually impaired social entrepreneur said; “In our community of People with Disabilities, we have a slogan that says nothing about us without us. I urge youth to own this slogan. Nothing can be done for you without you.”

In her closing remarks, on behalf of the Rwanda Governance Board CEO, Judith Kazayire emphasized the importance of youth understanding Rwanda’s philosophy of democracy which is based on four pillars; people-centered governance, accountability in transformation, homegrown solutions (culture, history, and culture) and inclusiveness. She urged the youth to use their energy to contribute towards what has been achieved and to utilize the available opportunities, as they strive to make a difference in their communities.

As we continue to create safe spaces for dialogue about key issues in our country, we urge the youth to safeguard and nourish our democracy.  We believe that without democracy, lasting peace cannot be guaranteed

In public health terms, social stigma is defined as the negative association between a person or group of people who share certain characteristics and a specific disease. In pandemic contexts or outbreaks like the COVID-19 times we are living in, social stigma may take different forms including stereotypes, labeling, discrimination, differential treatment, gossip, physical violence, denial of services, and /or loss of status as a result of a perceived link to COVID-19.

For instance, stigma occurs when individuals associate COVID-19 with race or nationality, even though not everyone in that race or from that country is specifically at risk for the disease. Similarly, stigma can occur after a person has been released from COVID-19 quarantine even though they are not
considered a risk for spreading the virus to others.

Many people around the world and in Rwanda have been stigmatized as a result of COVID-19. In Rwanda, instances of stigma have been reported especially among people who have been quarantined. In one instance, a formally quarantined person upon his return to the community, his neighbors operating retail stores were visually scared to sell him household commodities. Additionally, the whole family was a subject of gossip across the neighborhood.

Yet throughout history, research indicates numerous negative impacts emanating from stigma. According to the World Health Organization, stigmatization can lead to devastating and far-reaching impacts. Firstly, research notes that stigma can lead to people hiding their illness so that they can avoid discrimination. Secondly, stigma leads to negative health-seeking behavior where people
are most likely to seek healthcare late. Lastly, stigma can lead to a feeling of shame, hopelessness, and isolation.

Given the abhorrent nature of stigma and its devastating impact on the health system and people, it’s imperative to deconstruct stigma. Experience and history teach us that the best way to do this is by educating the public on COVID-19 to dispel damaging stereotypes such as the stereotype that people cannot completely be healed from the disease since it has no cure and the belief that it might reappear at any time. Public sensitization about COVID-19 should aim to build people’s trust in healthcare advice, encourage people to exhibit empathy towards those affected, enhance the
understanding of COVID-19, and continue implementing ongoing mitigation measures that have so far proved effective.

Another important parameter is openness and transparency whereby our leaders should be open about their diagnosis of the disease to aid the normalization of COVID-19. When Phil Bongoley Lutaaya a prominent musician at the time in Uganda and Magic Johnson a basketball star in the United States of America came out and revealed his HIV positive status, it helped reduced stigma and the number of people seeking medical care for HIV/AIDS greatly increased.

Lastly, COVID-19 poses a serious health threat to the world at large and at such a time, the human family ought to come together and show empathy towards those affected while keeping in mind that anyone of us can fall victim to COVID-19. As the bible says in Mathew 7:12: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”

By David Kagoro Baguma
Public health expert and senior researcher

Some countries are plagued by the politics of division, struggling to form a joint stance as many find themselves detached and disenfranchised from the ruling government. COVID-19 and its remarkable impact on our livelihood has highlighted both the good and bad, where united countries have proven formidable, and those afflicted with the politics of division have been left at a grieving standstill.

Successful cases of fighting the virus, have displayed national unity and a global cooperation that meant the severity of the virus was understood early on. Strong ties with international unions heralded a joint understanding that the outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at the earliest stage, as deemed so by WHO (World Health Organization) on the 30th of January 2020. This kind of global cooperation is only possible with strong leadership.

Cooperation isn’t possible without strong leadership. Heads of government dictate the direction of partnership and without strong belief from the population towards those at the helm, the likelihood is that the masses won’t fall in line and therefore infections will continue to rise.

Singapore, a country that prides itself in its multiculturalism and diversity, has been highlighted as one of the more successful cases in battling the virus. Its president, Halimah Yacob, called for greater sharing of knowledge and a coordinated, rapid global response as a critical antidote.

At the time of writing, Singapore has 879 cases of COVID-19 and just 3 deaths and its rate of recoveries has outpaced infections. According to Michael Merson, director of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, leadership and faith in the administration has been key to this success.

“There’s strong government leadership, but also trust in the government,” said Merson, who used to run the World Health Organization’s anti-AIDS program. “ Every time a case is identified there is a very strong action plan to identify contacts. It’s also very good at promoting hand-washing and keeping people at a safe distance from one another.”

Rwanda proves to be another example where strong leadership, national unity and a strong sense of global cooperation have produced 0 deaths from COVID-19 so far. Posting on Twitter, President Kagame said that WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had the full confidence and support of Africa, showing solidarity with Dr. Tedros in the face of criticism from President Donald Trump.

The Rwandan government acted preemptively to enforce a strict nationwide lockdown in order to halt transmission. The government also announced that cabinet ministers and top officials would donate their April salaries to the fight against the coronavirus epidemic, showing the harmony within the government as an institution.

These comparisons are stark in contrast to the situations in Europe, where actions have been taken too late and cooperation has been hindered due to divisive politics.

The United Kingdom, coming off the back of Brexit, cut political ties with the EU and formed a national stance that said ‘we will be better off on our own’. Poetically, the UK currently faces a resource crisis and it has been alleged that the UK was given ‘ample opportunity’ to join an EU scheme on huge purchases of ventilators, laboratory supplies and personal protective equipment.

What was deemed to be a mistake in communication has now been claimed to be ‘a political decision’ by senior UK officials, “ adding more weight to the idea that Britain’s infatuation with isolating
from the EU has deepened its Coronavirus crisis even further.

Just across the Atlantic Ocean, the United States has reached over 1 million COVID-19 cases. President Trump, who has centered his political ideology on nationalism, was late to appreciate the severity of the virus’ global impact, which has resulted in the US having the most deaths globally due to COVID-19.

Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz in an interview with The Guardian said that Trump and the establishment’s mismanagement had led the US to go into the crisis unprepared.

“We were unprepared but, even given the degree of unpreparedness, Trump’s decision to make this about politics rather than about science has meant we have responded far more poorly.”

As many politicians have found success in a style of nationalism that vilifies the outside world, COVID-19 has reminded us that some wars cannot be won with the military and political independence. What we are beginning to learn is that cooperation and unity both at home and abroad remains our greatest weapon against global crisis.

By Peter Ndahiro
Communications practitioner with a specific interest in digital content

Facts about the crisis started to spread widely, educating the considered distant nations to protect themselves and their governments cautioning their citizens against the fast approaching enemy. However, this also stirred xenophobia and racism in many communities. In the city of New York in the United States of America, some Asian natives such as the Hong Kong born Eunice begun wearing masks according to the Atlantic. Through their experience with the SARS outbreak in the 2003, masks symbolized solidarity with others and individual protection as reported by the same paper. However, this only raised discrimination against such people across the USA.

Similar xenophobic reports flooded the media across the world. Humans continued to expose own ignorance, failing to put efforts together to deal with a common problem. This pushed the United Nations to react against the behavior despite defiance by several states. For example, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination held on March 21, the UN special rapporteur on racism reminded us that; “crises like the coronavirus pandemic remind us that we are all connected and that our well-being is interdependent.”

However, this did not seem to teach a huge lesson. As if it was not enough, the fights turned against people who were suspected to be COVID-19 positive and even those who had recent travel history regardless of their countries of travel; stigma, blame, rejection to name a few. On one hand it was a justified fear due to the limited knowledge about the virus but on the other hand it is a demonstration of a lack of solidarity in unsafe situations. A new generation of conflict that keeps exposing the human nature. For example, in Kenya a man who was suspected to be Coronavirus positive was beaten to death in March 20208 as reported by the media.

Equally in Rwanda, the Government put in place measures to trace people who are at risk of contracting the virus, quarantining them and treating sick ones. This has reduced the state of panic among the public and this is no surprise as the 2019 Citizen Report Card by the Rwanda Governance Board suggests more than 88% of Rwandans trust government institutions. However, there are people and their families who experienced stigma as a result of being placed under quarantine or mere suspicion on their COVID-19 status as reported in their different testimonies of social media. In addition, messages and photos were circulated on social media expressing anger and fear against individuals who were alleged to have disobeyed the COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

With the current situation, even more severe future conflicts can be projected, based on the scarcity of resources. To illustrate the gravity of the concern, the International Labor Organization projected an initial job loss estimated to around 25 million from a base level of 188 million in 2019.10 This, paired with expected global economic recession, countries can only expect that the next generation of conflict, over scarce resources, is likely to occur probably in a much harsher form.

Despite the blame game and failure, countries and the international community have shown solidarity and mutual support during tough times. When the World Health Organization was being dropped by its main donor, claiming to demand accountability, countries committed to support it in order to bridge the gap, and one of them is Saudi Arabia which committed $1011 million. Additionally, the African Union as well as individual African presidents condemned the trend, stating inappropriate timing to demand accountability.

For the case of Rwanda, just at the beginning of April 2020, the US Ambassador to Rwanda and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director announced US$1 million assistance in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, almost one billion Rwandan francs on top of the U.S. government’s existing support to Rwanda. Despite the critics of US top leadership alleged hostility against global health efforts, that support is evidence of potential ongoing solidarity, at least with Rwanda.

In the same time, the World Bank supported Rwanda with $14.25 million to support its COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan by financing critical interventions, such as prompt diagnosis of suspected coronavirus cases, contact tracing to minimize risk of transmission, risk assessments to identify hot spot areas, and screening travelers at ports of entry. Although this emergency support may not end all the challenges anticipated during and after the crisis, it too, is an indication of mutual support.

In the same vein, adding to the major private sector actors like the Bank of Kigali which donated Rwf 282 Million to Government efforts to provide socio-economic relief to vulnerable households in Rwanda as stated in the Kigali Today press article14, Civil Society and individual well-wishers keep sending money and food donations to struggling families, to enable them to cope with food shortage that seems to grow along with the ongoing “Guma murugo” stay-at-home period.

Despite all efforts, it is highly important to mitigate potential conflicts that are likely to emerge from the current crisis. The more people stay at home, the more challenging it gets with millions losing jobs every day. Peacebuilding actors should start imagining adaptive approaches that will work in the post-Covid period. Governments should also design post-crisis strategies that go beyond economic uplifting to integrate conflict management as they uphold national and international cooperation.

Since its beginning, the COVID-19 crisis has been a cruel test to governance across the world. Therefore governance-related responses should also begin adapting before it is too late.

A mark has been added to human history and life may never be the same again.

By Eric Mahoro
Expert on program management, governance and advocacy