Arrived In Rwanda

I recently visited the beautiful country of Rwanda for almost a week while attending the History Makers Camp under Watoto Church Uganda and my-oh-my was I left in awe at the beauty of the small country displayed unto my eyes. While entering the country in the wee hours of the night far off from the Gatuna border I could see the well-lit and organised city from atop the hills and I could attest to this even during the day as I moved through the city on the well constructed roads with palm trees in the middle giving the city an airy feel.

Kigali by Night

The country is very clean and not at any point did I see rubbish damped about or scattered around like back home. The weather is similar to Kampala weather with the usual cold mornings and evenings here and there and sun filled days.  The Rwandan people are attractive with outstanding physical features and gorgeous faces that can melt a heart, I couldn’t stop staring, now I know why they are so very much envied, they are beautifully and wonderfully made creatures.

The Rwandans are accustomed to peace and quiet and by that I mean they are not used to our crazy noise almost on the daily in every part of the city, you could get into trouble for getting involved in Noise pollution lest you have a sound proof system.

 

 

The city by day

I had the chance to visit some of the historical sites such as the Presidential Palace Museum where I was shown the pieces of the plane that crashed in the compound of the late former President of Rwanda, the private club where the president invited close friends and family for a good time, the home of the python a gift from the DRC President which disappeared as soon as the President was killed and hasn’t been found to date, the aquarium site also a gift from the President of France, among others, the site is now also open for couples who wish to have their weddings there.

 

The writer with a friend outside the Palace Entrance

I also visited the Rwanda Genocide Memorial Center, the outside had several mass graves of those who lost their lives and as we got inside my heart broke listening to different stories and looking at the innocent lives of people who were massacred, the center is well organised with flat screen TVs retelling stories from survivors with the walls covered with artistic photos and stories explaining what happened during the genocide in the first section, the second section had stories of other worldwide genocides and the third captured the innocent lives of children who were killed, all in all its a must visit while you’re in Kigali. All these sites had free entrance although taking photos while you were on the inside came at a cost.

The writer outside the memorial centre

I was involved in Umuganda, a compulsory once in a month community work by building special Q gardens for families in poverty to be able to plant crops like cassava, greens to get food to sustain themselves, it was quite tiring.

Participating in Umuganda

We were also able to visit the Masaka hospital and spread the good news to the sick raising some money to help the needy and giving them some food whilst listening to their painful stories, many failing to go back home because they cannot afford paying of the hospital bills.

I enjoyed my stay in Rwanda, no doubt, but no place is perfect and there were a few things I didn’t like for example there roads are too narrow, there were not so many places to visit as compared to Uganda, the noise and late night moving restrictions and not forgetting the high cost of living that left many of us distraught,just in case you’re visiting Rwanda brace yourselves pocket wise or be like me who was forewarned and traveled with some basics to take me on while on my stay in the country that I didn’t feel the pinch so much.

‘‘I enjoyed my stay in Rwanda’‘

Kampala might not be among the most organised and cleanest cities in the world or Africa but it’s filled with excitement, adventure, delicacies and most of all liveliness that am yet to find elsewhere. I would choose Kampala over and over again and thus I will say East or West or in this case South West, Uganda stays best.