As excitement for the Rwandan presidential elections roars, trust me, more cheddar is on me as a first-time voter. The youth comprise 42% of final registered voters in the upcoming presidential elections. And since most of them, like me, are first-time voters, this has increased my elation.
I’ve been old enough to know what politics is for a while now. I know some political keywords such as ‘incumbent’, ‘polling’, ‘Tumutore’, and ‘Tuzabavuna’. I’m also very aware of what our President Paul Kagame has done —mostly for my parents. To prove that I’m grown enough, I read all the yellow paper announcements whenever they come out after a cabinet meeting. Though, I don’t know any names of the appointed leaders yet.
But it is only now that it’s hitting me, I’ll be casting my ballot this year! I haven’t felt like this since Suzanne from my high school touched my hand. And since this is a monumental time in my life, more significant than finding love, a few drastic changes are in order. I’m no longer ordinary. I belong now to a peculiar group of people with abilities you can not comprehend if you’re one of us. The sheer responsibilities alone could put some of the United Nations leaders to shame.
The following are some of the ways I’m going to turn my life around for the better, starting with combing my hair every five hours and washing my hands every 0.4 seconds until the day I vote.
I plan to attend and follow the RPF campaign trail until July 15. That probably means I will have to rent a car, learn how to drive the car, get a license, and spend my two-year savings on gas, all under a week. You think that’s impossible? In this country? You must not know us.
Since watching the Rayon Sport vs APR FC game in the new Amahoro Stadium in June, I have decided the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, and hence, I’m looking for a new girlfriend. One that puts me first whenever I need something like our government’s service-providing industry. One that will push me to be better and dream big and provide me with opportunities like the ones Rwanda has provided to the youth. A girlfriend that’s beautiful, well-mannered… What is this? Kiss FM?
With the power vested in me as a first-time voter, I pledge to replace 2 am night outs in clubs and bars with attending symposiums on climate change and understanding my carbon footprint. I apologize to the bartenders at Molato. Sometimes you have to mature. Rwanda has advocated for more green investments and accelerated emissions cuts by major polluters, and I want to be part of the changemakers. Also, the world is so hot right now, but not as hot as I’ll be rocking the recyclable PK t-shirts and waving a recyclable flag on July 15. They are recyclable, right? Because there will be no plastics on my watch.
I am so giving back to my community. I’ll donate time, money, and blood. Well, not my blood, because I have really skinny veins. The nurse at my doctor’s office told me they were the smallest veins she had ever seen, and that I needed to drink more water. But I’ll give money! After I pay off rent, electricity, Spotify, and transport from and to work. Come to think of it, I probably shouldn’t be giving away money until those investments I put in CMA pay off. But I’ll participate in Umuganda Saturdays. That’s for sure.
I’ll get off my damn phone already. I need to grow up and be more in the moment. Unless it’s to fight Rwanda haters on X (Twitter), because they are really annoying sometimes, and we need all the voices we can get. But other than that, no more doom scrolling over TikTok and Instagram. I will use my phone only for absolutely necessary tasks: calls, texts, and e-mails about the campaign, maps/directions, the weather, my alarm clock, music and podcasts, taking pictures with the president, posting pictures, jotting down stray thoughts, seeing what I look like with different Snapchat filters, Vuba Vuba, and the app that reminds me to drink water. Also, follow PK’s campaign around the country on YouTube.
On July 15, we will be choosing unity, democracy, and development when voting for President Kagame, but most importantly, as he’s often said, actions that implement what we aspire for. In that regard, I’ll finally start cooking and cleaning around the house. I’ll tell my mother I love her every day and my neighbour to shut his bloody loud music. Because I aspire to have a girlfriend that cooks and cleans, and that my kids will tell me they love me. If you ask me to reduce the volume of my music though, we’re going to have a problem.
Since we’re on the topic of what we’re voting for, here are some of the expected initiatives I hope to see soon: A good Rwandan football team, accessible resources for capacity building, and more roads —specifically one that leads directly to my house. If I could finally have a nice street with no sand, that would be nice for my shoes and self-esteem when heading to work. I also hope for more concerts with the likes of Taylor Swift and J. Cole, a new iPhone 15 Pro Max (more of a personal favour really), and if possible, and this is a big IF, could we have a four-day workweek? Please?
Don’t call me delusional. Call me pumped. Nothing is better than being a Rwandan right now. As a first-time voter, my voice matters to the transformation of my country. So you bet I’m going to become a better version of myself.
I know I’ve said this before whenever Arsenal was close to winning the Premier League, but when I cast my vote, and I know I contributed to the re-election of our beloved president, I will finally go to the gym.
