Someone  wrote  a very polished  speech for Kagame but he read it with difficulty  and kept stumbling  on words he obviously  does  not understand.
It was a good textbook speech but,  with regards to the African Free Trade issue,  it was naive and unrealistic.
Kagame  the wheeler dealer is advocating  for  Africa to make the  most of  the opportunities  it has created  for itself.  He ironically is also suggesting  for continuous “consultations” between the private sector and political leadership “at all levels” as a condition  for continental deliberations.
It goes without saying  that in Rwanda, Kagame is THE private sector AND political leadership.  All the other big names in both of those sectors have seen  their assets seized,  were made to flee the country , are imprisoned and or have been ruthlessly murdered ( Assinapol Rwigara,  Tribert Rujugiro to name a few business men,as for   politicians Seth Sendashonga,  Deo Mushayidi,  Victoire Ingabire,  Diane Rwigara etc… )
Kagame  will have us believe that “profit and power are not an end in themselves”, that ” creating prosperity for every African ” is his main concern.
One cannot help but wonder if Kagame needs to be reminded  that his Rwandan citizens are in fact African then,   considering how he mercilessly and shamelessly profits off them, robbing them of their land , taking money off them in taxes and all sorts of whimsical contributions like a loan shark.
Lastly Kagame’s ghost speech writer  has avoided the issue of free movement of people,  probably because in his mind  , allowing Africans to  pay for their visas on arrival  at Gregoire Kayibanda International  Airport is what free mobility comes down to.
  The African  Free Trade  Area being discussed again  is always a good thing and a step forward.
It is obvious however, that  what it will come down to is  the lifting of political barriers by giving  all Africans  the right to democracy.
I believe it is only then , having that universal value in common,  that we will be able to trade freely as good neighbours; a concept  that Kagame  has failed to understand for the past 24 years.
Noble  Marara