The Radio Itahuka Presenter Mr. Serge NDAYIZEYE was very disrespectful to the Rwandan King Kigali V when he was responding to the question of one of the callers Martin in the Program in which he hosted Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa.

Serge was very arrogant and disrespectful when he said that “uzabwire uwomwami azaduhamagare” Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists. Historically and currently, this subset of media ethics is widely known to journalists as their professional “code of ethics” or the “canons of journalism”.

Whoever was listening to his program concluded that either Serge had personal vendetta with the Rwandan King or simply lacks professional training. Why should unprofessional and unqualified person then do what he is not supposed to do? It’s like taking a good lawyer in the theatre to do an operation on an ailing person or taking a medical doctor to a court room to defend a suspect.

Serge might be too young to appreciate the role of the Rwandan King or how King Kigeli was and is a peaceful man who should be treated with respect and dignity.  The initial days of all Rwandan refugees in 1960-70s where unbearable in all the places they had sought protection. When Id Amin of Uganda ascended to the throne in 1971, he immediately proposed to King Kigeli V to help Rwandans led by him to invade Rwanda.

The Rwandan King had the power of love, wisdom and influence that kept Rwandans in their exile together and turned down Amin’s idea of invading Rwanda for fear of shedding blood of Rwandans. President Amin had promised him that before he finishes a cup of tea, Kigali will be in the hands of the soldiers of Uganda and the Rwandan King will re instated.

Indeed,  the power of love, compassion and nonviolent change of bad governance have made the Rwandan King the only unique person in the post genocide Rwanda who could   bring about transformative social change for all Rwandans.

The American human Rights activist Martin Luther King once said to Gandhi that “If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought, and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony.  We may ignore him at our own risk.”

I would tell Mr. Serge that King Kigeli V is inescapable and ignoring him, we may do it at our own risk. Like Gandhi, King Kigeli V stood and stands for peace and love, to this very day the Rwandan King stands for nonviolence and counseling of all Rwandans as the best weapon to fight the mighty armies of all dictators in our country.

 

“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon… a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and enables the man who wields it… It was used in a magnificent way by Mohandas K. Gandhi to challenge the might of the British Empire and free his people from the political domination of economic exploitation inflicted upon them for centuries.  He struggled only with the weapons of truth soul-force, non-injury and courage.”  ~Nobel Lecture, 1964

If Mr. Serge does not know the respect the Rwandan King holds, he should consult some of his colleagues on the Radio Itahuka or if he lacks some professional skills, his employers should arrange a course for him as soon as possible to avoid further embarrassment for Radio Itahuka as an Institution and what it stands for.

Noble Marara