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WHO IS LIONEL NISHIMWE : A SUCCESS STORY OF A YOUNG RWANDAN
LAWYER/POLITICAN LIVING IN EXILE(PART I).
WHO IS LIONEL?
In life we have two choices-to live with our circumstances or to fight
against the odds.
Lionel Nishimwe was Born in Rwanda on the 3rd December of 1994 in Nyundo, Rubavu-a community in the Rubavu District of Western Province, Rwanda, on the Sebeya River to the east of Gisenyi.
It is the location of one of the first Catholic missions to be established in Rwanda, and today is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nyundo.
Born to Hutu parents(Both Veterinary Doctors),a year later and some months we were forced to flee Rwanda after the 1994 Massacres.
I grew up in the most complex circumstances.My childhood is marred by sad memories and an aspect of denial of who I was for the most part of my youth.
As a child,I was harassed for belonging to the Hutu Clan-everyone hated Rwandans for different reasons.Congolese hated us because we had brought war to their country whereas others saw us as ‘Genocidaires’.
This animosity towards my people led me to hating who I was.I chose not to learn Kinyarwanda(my mother tongue) and tried to conform in the foreign land as best as I could.
WHY POLITICS?
After successfully completing my Secondary Education(IGCSE O LEVELS CAMBRIDGE),I did not know what to do.I was barely 15 years and still naïve about many aspects of life.
I started doing A LEVELS in Arts and was inspired by Sydney Chisenga(Esq.)-A Young Advocate who made Partner at Corpus Global(one of the leading Law Firms in Zambia) in his early thirties(30’s).
He took pride in reading the law and mentored me by subjecting me to the most stringent of rules there is.I had no choice but to read extensively and consistently.
As I was reading the law,I came across the notion that everyone ought to be equal in the eyes of the law.This took a toll on me as many Refugees I knew were mistreated by the immigration officers who abused their rights due to their status.
I kept asking myself whether this notion was a fallacy or not.
After a thorough research,I discovered that the reasons why certain people are more equal than others is because they know their rights too well to be taken advantage of.
LAW SCHOOL.
My A LEVELS days were now over and I enrolled in Law School.In Law School,I met critical minds like Reagan Blankfein Gates(Esq.),Barnabas Bwalya(Esq.) and Dr Etienne Mutabazi just to mention a few.They all allowed me to express my views without fear nor favour.
I nurtured a keen interest in Rwandan history and ended up writing my dissertation on “THE LEGAL CHALLENGES FACED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA ACQUITTED PERSONS IN RELOCATION.”
Many people who knew little about Rwanda have come to understand what really transpired in Rwandan during the 1994 Massacres through my writings.
I have exposed the tyrany of the Kagame regime through my published articles which have helped many Zambians in seeing Paul Kagame for who he really is-a Dictator who will stop at nothing to cling onto power even if it means to kill the whole entire Rwandan race.
I have argued that the 1994 Massacres were a ‘sham’ as the bigger picture was to invade DR Congo using Rwanda as a leeway.
A number of friends helped me understand our history.This include Theogene Karenzi,David Himbara,Darius Murinzi,Donat Gapyisi and Mandela just to mention a few.
WHO IS MY HERO.
My mother is,has and will always be my Hero.She is the first Doctor in her family and sacrificed her life to make mine a better one.
“Le mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils.”
I would be a fool to ignore everything my mother believed in.
QUE VOTRE AME REPOSE EN PAIX DOCTEUR THERESE MUZINGE(TANTINE).
MY ADVICE TO YOUNG RWANDANS.
Nothing is as powerful as a dream kept alive.I am a 22 year old Former Rwandan Refugee in possession of a Bachelor’s Degree of Laws(LLB).I speak fluently three international Languages namely;English,French and Swahili.I did not allow my status to define me.I worked so hard to be someone and am able to make positive contributions to many issues concerning my people.
Let us study what we are passionate about and endeavour to participate in Rwandan politics.
The future of Rwanda is in our hands.We must learn from the elders and use our exposure to build a better Rwanda.Only a free-minded youth will be able to liberate Rwanda.
CONCLUSION.
The French say;
“Un « tiens » vaut mieux que deux « tu l’auras ». ”
In light of the aforementionned adage,change starts with what we have.Everyone is able to make a difference.
In whatever we do,let us try to influence change. Lawyers are Leaders . That is why I find it incumbent on every Rwandan Lawyer out there to denounce the oppressive regime of Paul Kagame.
VERBA VOLENT,SCRIPTA MANENT.
