Northouse(2016) states that Transformational leadership is inspiring and motivating followers to reach their fullest potential for the organization or nation, especially in the case of my analysis.

One transformational leader of our time that I have tremendous respect for is the president of the republic of Rwanda. President Paul Kagame. The reason he is transformational in his leadership is because he took on leadership of Rwanda at the lowest of times in our history. He led the ending of the 100 days civil strife that sparked off a bloody genocide that saw the killing of  1 million Rwandans. The government he overthrew was sectarian, deeply divisive and corrupt.

To explain what President Kagame has done to transform this country will take a whole lot of writing but in a nutshell he has overseen the following achievements among many others.

1. Reconciled and united the nation from two divisive tribes from the past, the Tutsi and Hutu that were rifted for decades. He abolished this notion of sectarianism and we are all currently referred to one unit; Rwandan.
2. He articulated a new vision for Rwanda called ‘Vision 2020’, which sought to raise Rwanda’s status into middle income status by the year 2020. His leadership has seen many strategic goals of this vision realised
3. He galvanized the country from a broken and messed up social economic fabric into a prospering nation. Rwanda is one of the fastest growing economies globally with an average of 7% GDP annual growth. Rwanda has seen the raising of 1 million of its citizens above the poverty line.
4. More than 90% of Rwandans are on medical insurance and more than 95% of children in schools. Rwanda has been rated the safest and cleanest country in Africa and the second easiest place to open business in Africa. All this according to international rating agencies like the World Bank, The World Economic Forum and the International Monitory Fund.
5. Perhaps Rwanda’s highlight of transformation under President Kagame has been the intentional inclusion of women in the running of the country. Rwanda is the leading nation in the world with the largest number of women represented in Parliament and also has a 50% representation of women in the ministerial cabinet. Rwanda has 13 of the 26 cabinet ministers.
6. Finally, President Kagame has built the national self esteem and dignity of a nation from a failed and miserable state with a seemingly no future about 25 years ago to a thriving nation on the move with a population confident of their future. Rwandans are working hand in hand together to build the future that they want their children to succeed in.

Above a some of the marks of transformational leadership over 12 millions Rwandans attribute to the citizen-centric leader they possess in their president, Paul Kagame.