Politics
Map
East Africa
Your Guides
Jambo! I’m Amina and this is my friend Kima. We’ll be your guides to East Africa, our home.
There have been many ups and down in politics since East African countries became independent after the Second World War. I know of many different groups who have struggled for power in some countries, which has started wars where many people have died. Sometimes, governments aren’t honest, and don’t make decisions that are best for the people.
…people’s rights are often ignored and terrible things can happen.
Today, East African countries are democratic and most governments are strong. But in countries where the government is weak or doesn’t make honest choices, people’s rights are often ignored and terrible things can happen.
My father’s friend Shyaka used to live in Rwanda, but he had to leave the country because of something called “genocide.” That’s when one group of people who share the same politics, background or religion tries to eliminate another group by killing them. The Rwandan genocide is very close to Shyaka’s heart, so I will let him tell you about his experience.
Shyaka: There are two main ethnic tribes in my country. Most people are Hutu (pronounced hoo-too), but I am Tutsi (pronounce toot-see). Before the genocide, the Hutus had fought with us for decades because they wanted more presence in the government. It was 1994 when the conflict exploded into genocide. Things had been bad for a long time, but the assassination of our president is the event that started the violence.
We were not expecting the Hutus when they came to my village. So many of my friends and family were killed. I was lucky, because I managed to escape. I ran as quickly as I could and found a place to hide in the bush. I can’t believe I was not found. I consider myself very lucky. So many of my friends and family were killed. 800,000 of my fellow Rwandans died in that genocide. It is a tragedy I will never forget, as long as I live.
Rwanda’s Powerful Women
Today, Rwanda is a much stronger country, partly because women in the country have worked very hard to rebuild. Aloisea Inyumba is one politician who helped heal Rwanda by finding new homes for the 500,000 children whose parents died in the genocide.
Almost half of Rwanda’s politicians are women—that’s the highest amount in the world!