Kagame has deployed 353 foreign nationals in strategic governmental leadership positions. What happened to his favourite slogan, “Rwandan solutions to Rwanda problems”?

General Paul Kagame has ruled Rwanda for over three decades under his slogan “Rwandan home-grown solutions to Rwanda problems.” Sadly, his actions contradict this principle. He has imported 353 foreign nationals to transform Rwanda into what he calls “Africa’s economic miracle.” As demonstrated here, 31 strategic leadership positions within the Rwandan state are held by foreign nationals, mainly from the United States as are Kagame’s Presidential Advisory Council comprises 15 foreign nationals. To reconstruct the education sector he dismantled in 2008 by switching the teaching language from French to English without English teachers, Kagame imported 147 educational experts in 2022. By 2025, 160 more educational specialists were recruited, increasing their numbers to 307.

Let us take a closer look at Kagame’s foreign nationals in three categories — thirty one foreign nationals in strategic governmental positions, fifteen members of his Presidential Advisory Council and three hundred and seven education experts reconstructing the broken education sector. 

Here the thirty one Rwandan institutions together with the names of the foreign nationals Kagame has deployed to lead them, beginning with his Presidential Office in which two foreign nationals hold strategic leadership positions:

—1 Mauro De Lorenzo from the United States is the Executive Director of the Strategy and Policy Council (SPC), Office of the President.

—2 Lassina Zerbo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, is a member of the Strategy and Policy Council (SPC), Office of the President.

—3 Israel’s Itzhak Fisher from Israel serves as Chairman of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

—4 Liban Soleman Adbi from Gabon sits on the Board of RDB.

—5 Eric Kacou from the United States sits on the RDB Board.

—6 Kacou also leads the Rwanda National Innovation and Competitiveness Program.

—7 Philippe Watrin from France serves as the Deputy Director-General in charge of funds at the Rwanda Social Security Board.

—8 Bobby Pittman, an American, is the Chairman of the Development Bank of Rwanda.

—9 Marc Holtzman from the United States is the Chairman of the Rwanda Capital Market Authority.

—10 Thapelo Tsheole from Botswana is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Capital Market Authority.

—11 Tidjane Thiam from Côte d’Ivoire is the Board Chairman of Kigali International Finance Centre (KIFC).

—12 Diko Mukete is KIFC’s Deputy Chairman and hails from Cameroon.

—13 Patricia Campbell from the United States is the Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.

—14 Pradeep Kumar Khosla from the United States is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Rwanda.

—15 Girma Wake from Ethiopia leads RwandAir as Chairman.

—16 Lassina Zerbo is also the Chairman of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB).

—17 Fouad Caunhye from Mauritius serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of RwandAir.

—18 Bob Karina from Kenya is the Chairman of the Rwanda Stock Exchange.

—19 Lassina Zerbo is the presidential advisor on energy.

—20 Shehzad Noordally from Mauritius is a member of the Board of Rwanda Stock Exchange.

—21 Scott Ford from the United States is the Chairman of Rwanda’s Agaciro Development Fund.

—22 Andrew Rozanov from Kazakhstan sits on the Board of Agaciro Development Fund.

—23 Andrew Otengo Owiny from Uganda is on the Board of the Rwanda Stock Exchange.

—24 Fisseha Senait is an Ethiopian-American and sits on the Board of Directors of the Rwanda Social Security Board.

—25 Kephers Usenge is from Kenya and sits on the Board of the Rwanda Social Security Board.

—26 Liliane Bwakira from Burundi is a Board Member of the Rwanda Social Security Board.

—27 Abraham Haileamlak Mitike from Ethiopia is the Principal of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Rwanda.

—28 Ciro Campanela from Italy, Director of Cardiothoracic Program, King Faisal Hospital.

—29 Hanna Aberra from Ethiopia, Head of Gastroenterology Department, King Faisal Hospital.

—30 Philip Cotton from the UK is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre.

—31 Chew Men Leong from Singapore is Chairman of Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC Group).

Kagame’s Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) is predominantly composed of foreign nationals, particularly from the United States. The PAC serves as a platform for the Rwandan President to receive counsel on social, economic, and strategic matters pertaining to a diverse range of critical objectives and goals. The Presidential Advisory Council’s membership comprises the following 15 foreign nationals as follows:

—1 Michael Porter from the United States.

—2 Mauro De Lorenzo from the United States.

—3 Andrea Redmond from the United States.

—4 Ashish Thakkar from the United Kingdom.

—5 Christian Angermayer from Germany.

—6 Dale Dawson from the United States.

—7 Kaia Miller from the United States.

—8 Michael Fairbanks from the United States.

—9 Michael Roux from Australia.

—10 Paul Davenport from Canada.

—11 Pastor Rick Warren from the United States. 

—12 Scott Ford from the United States. 

—13 Dave King from the United Kingdom, and 

—14 Rod Reynolds from the United Kingdom.

—15 Ben Melkman from Australia. 

We now turn to the story of three hundred and seven education specialists tasked to reconstruct the education sector Rwanda. The need for foreign nationals to build Rwanda's education sector can be traced back to 2009 when President Kagame made the abrupt decision to switch the language of instruction from French to English. This move resulted in significant turmoil, as Rwandan teachers were ill-equipped due to their lack of proficiency in English, a reflection of the country's long-standing historical ties to the French language.

Initially, Rwandan sought English teachers and teacher-trainers from the neighbouring Uganda and Kenya. This attempt failed to meet the dire needs for teacher training colleges, polytechnics, technical and vocational training schools and universities. In 2022, the Kagame government brought in 147 Zimbabwean educators to improve the system. By December 2025, 160 more Zimbabwean specialists arrived bringing the total to 307.

Kagame has led Rwanda for thirty years. How many more years does he need to develop human and leadership capacity in Rwanda instead of importing foreign nationals? What happened to Kagame’s slogan, “Rwandan home-grown solutions to Rwanda problems”? It is a shame.