Politics and Society

President Paul Kagame angers Kenyans on Twitter

While it’s really cool to have an African president effectively utilising social media tools to communicate with a growing cyber audience, it does have its drawbacks as Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame recently found out

Published

10 years ago

August 11, 2015

This Is Africa

It seems Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has no time for diplomacy when addressing his critics on social media, if his recent “arrogant” outburst is anything to go by.

As a reply to a tweet by President Kagame commending his legal team and the “unbreakable Rwandan spirit”, Kenyan TV personality, Levi Kones, made a comment about the possibility of the president holding on to power for a third term.

Many thanks to the tireless legal team ,friends and the unbreakable Rwandan spirit….!!!
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) August 10, 2015

@PaulKagame I really hope sir, you will not ruin your legacy by being President for life.
— Levi Kones (@levikones) August 10, 2015

But the President Kagame, in an uncharacteristically incensed retort, gave Kones a piece of his mind.

@levikones worry more about your own legacy …if you got any at all to think about!!
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) August 10, 2015

Following this exchange, a heated debate ensued with mostly Kenyans, under the hashtags #KOT and #SomeoneTellKagame (Kenyans on Twitter), swinging to the defence of Kones by highlighting shortcomings in President Kagame’s decorated leadership.

#SomeOneTellKagame that if he believes he has done Rwanda any good and people are feeling good he should relinquish power and enjoy THE GOOD
— D I K E M B E (@Disembe) August 11, 2015

It is wrong for Kagame to go for a third term and clampdown on anyone disagreeing with him. Negating the "successes". #SomeoneTellKagame
— Robert ALAI (@RobertAlai) August 11, 2015

But there were many, under the same hashtag, who supported the idea of Kagame serving for another term and chastised Kenyans for worrying about Rwanda when their own country needs their attention.

As Kagame said, mind your own legacy, if you have any. #Someonetellkagame
— Dr. Ocharo #BlackLivesMatter 🎄 ☃️ #4💉運転免許ゴールド (@savvykenya) August 11, 2015

KOT busy with #SomeoneTellKagame but aren't as loud on looting of public funds, tribalism, poor governance & poll malpractices. #SwalaNyeti
— Mac Otani 🇰🇪 (@MacOtani) August 11, 2015

Since that interaction, President Kagame’s account has yet to respond. The presidency has not come out to either confirm nor deny that it was really the president who was tweeting from the verified account. The president has also yet to confirm whether he will avail himself for another term in office.