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There are moments in history when words fall short—when ink trembles beneath the weight of gratitude. Today is one such moment. On behalf of the Council for Abavandimwe and the thousands of Banyarwanda of Ugandan descent, I pen this letter with a heart overflowing—not only with appreciation, but with deep emotion, relief, and renewed hope.
Feeling rejected is no different from experiencing physical pain. MRI scans have shown that the same areas of the brain activated by physical injury are also triggered by emotional hurt. To the brain, a broken heart is indistinguishable from a broken body.
It is with this depth of understanding that I write to express our profound gratitude. Your Executive Order No. 1 of 2025 was not merely a policy directive—it was a declaration of justice, humanity, and true statesmanship.
You stood with us when others turned away. You listened when our voices were ignored. You acted while many watched in silence. You reminded the nation that leadership is not defined by power, but by compassion, courage, and vision.
For decades, Banyarwanda suffered in silence. Though born and raised in Uganda, we were denied national IDs and passports—not for wrongdoing, but for who we are. Lives were lost, dreams shattered. We were foreigners in our own land, victims of unpatriotic technocrats.
We knocked on doors. We were mocked. But we stood firm—and today, our pain has turned to joy.
You have restored our dignity and proved that Pan-Africanism is not a slogan, but a living ideal.
For this, I will vote for you—and rally every Munyarwanda Ugandan to do the same.
Thank you. May God bless you.
Frank Malingumu Gashumba
Chairman Council for Abavandimwe