Dear youth of Africa,
I come to you with a heavy heart this evening, I come to you with the cries of a selfless woman who is laying down her life for future Rwandans. Diane Shima Rwigara; Diane is the 35 year Bold Rwandan lady that attempted to ran against President Paul Kagame in this year’s presidential elections.
She and her family are currently in police custody awaiting trial this month, she’s charged with an offense against state security and forgery. Detained earlier this September under different charges, if convicted Diane will be facing a 20 year prison sentence. All these precedents leaves me no doubt in mind that her real crime was attempting to run for President.
Diane is an African Youth, bold and articulate, she dared to changed the status quo and aimed for the highest office against the all powerful Kagame, we the youth of Africa must not sit and watch her political career die this soon. We need to provide her a shoulder to lean on, our support and fight to get her out of prison is the least we can do.
We can not let her face the same fate of General Frank Rusagara who is serving a 20 year prison sentence for inciting insurrection and tarnishing the government’s image. President Kagame has the Parliament and Judiciary agreeing to whatever he says, the laws of Rwanda are always open to reinterpretation as such Prosecutors can change charges at anytime.
I am not for the French, I like President Paul Kagame for some of the great things he has done but what is right must be right. We must accept each other’s view especially the views of the future Generations. The future of Rwanda and Africa is for the brave. Use Diane as your profile picture, use the #FreeDianeNow in your post, print it in your shirts and come out this Friday with any red cloth tied to your hand to signify that you are with us in the fight for Justice for Diane. Just do anything you can think of as an African Youth lending a hand to a Shero.
Long live Africa
Long live the African Youth
Long Live Rwanda
#FreeDianeNow
African economic strategist, sovereign risk analyst, and public intellectual. Author of Pricing Uncertainty. Creator of the Africa Macro Intelligence Terminal.