The author, Steven Baguma, is a Rwandan journalist currently participating in a six-month Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship at the St. Louis Dispatch. He wrote this article for the exclusive use of the Committee of Concerned Journalists.

Rwanda is a geographically tiny country located in the central part of Africa. In a short span of 3 months in 1994, this country was hit by the worst genocide in the modern era that claimed close to a million people.

Thirteen years down the road the Rwandan government led by President Paul Kagame has initiated many reforms aimed at rebuilding the entire nation economically, socially and politically.

Despite these reform efforts, as a journalist who has practiced in Rwanda for four years, I have witnessed how top government officials have repeatedly failed media operations in this part of the world.

President Paul Kagame himself recently issued a strong warning to local journalists who have continued to author critical reports about “their own country” in the interests of “anti-Rwanda” foreigners.

Kagame, who was speaking to local journalists during a March 13, 2007 press conference, cautioned reporters to hold back lest the government take stringent action to halt “negative” reporting.

Quoted by The New Times, Rwanda's only English daily and a virtual mouth piece of the Kagame government, on March 15, Kagame makes his point about critical reporting clear. “Those who do that think their godfathers will always be there to speak for them, but you should know that once the government decides to do something it is unstoppable.”

The “godfathers” Kagame was referring to include Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists and other international human rights watchdogs that have always condemned the Rwandan government's repression of the mainstream media in their annual reports.

"Now that the editor has just emerged from a coma caused by a beating, strong measures must be taken as a matter of urgency," RSF urged in a statement in February 2007 following the near-fatal beating of Jean-Bosco Gasasira, the owner and managing editor of a local fortnightly, Umuvugizi.

"This must start with a gesture from President Paul Kagame, who must finally learn to listen to the independent press instead of treating it as an enemy,” the RSF statement continued.

After publishing a series of critical stories implicating top government and army officials, Gasasira was beaten into a coma by a group of unknown attackers as he got into his car on the night of February 9. He recovered after an intensive brain operation at a hospital in Kigali.

As if that wasn't enough, Eleneus Akanga, The New Times reporter who was assigned to probe the infamous story, has since been fired by the very managing editor, Ignatius Kabagambe, who assigned him to the story on the grounds that his article “tarnished” the country's reputation internationally.

Akanga's thoroughly researched article about Gasasira's beating and reactions from fellow journalism practitioners entitled “Uncertainty as Journalists' Beatings Mount” was published in The New Times on February 17.

As a result of the government's hostile stance, most media, journalists and sources live in a state of paranoia; self-censorship is common around newsrooms.

Also, a significant number of government officials, in order to avoid backlash from the appointing authority, are either reluctant to provide public information to the press or cooperate only when they are certain their comments or versions of the story praise the government in one way or another.

“I am aware that there are some ministers who go out and discuss things we have talked in the Cabinet. If I know them they will have a bad day,” President Kageame is quoted in the March 15 New Times as saying in a stern warning to his cabinet about speaking to the press.

To further silence the press the government at times resorts to economic sanctions. In Rwanda, the private sector seems so frail that the government is virtually the major advertiser.

On several occasions the government has denied private and critical newspapers advertisements – notably Umuseso, the leading independent publication which is renowned for its persistent critical reporting about government officials and actions.

Empty promises

Every other year, the Rwandan government and President Kagame himself promise to finalize plans to establish a media training facility in the capital Kigali. They also promise to support the idea of private newspapers securing printing presses, among a host of other pledges. So far, none of these things has been realized!

As is the case elsewhere, the Rwandan media is not perfect. But when the media is caught in the wrong, government officials are quick to bill them as “unprofessional,” “sleepy,” and “negative.”

Inactive bodies

We have our very own Rwanda Journalists’ Association, and the government's High Council of the Press (HCP). Supposedly, both aim to promote journalists’ interests through training to ensure that professionalism takes root and to guide practitioners and media outlets on ethical and best practices, among other things.

Ironically, the pair have literally done nothing as far as strengthening the media is concerned: They have not strategically planned for the media, they have not vigorously stood by the media in difficult moments (by boldly speaking up against threats and harassment endured by journalists), they have not devised means to ensure legislators pass the desperately desired Freedom of Information Act, they have not utilized their positions to solicit training opportunities from a host of press fellowship organizations worldwide. Instead, in most cases they team up with the government to condemn and fail the media.

In August 2004, Charles Kabonero, the editor of Umuseso was tussling it out with parliamentarian Denis Polisi over defamation and ethnic sectarianism (i.e. encouraging anti-national sentiments) charges. The High Council of the Press on several occasions summoned the Kabonero, interrogated him, and ordered him to apologize, but to little effect.

Kabonero was later acquitted of sectarianism but convicted of defamation, though the prison sentence was overturned and he was ordered to pay a single Rwandan Franc (less than 5 cents) in fines and damages.

Despite its shortcomings, we appreciate that the government so easily issues licenses to start up private media enterprises…

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