Olivier Gatete: Showcasing Rwanda’s True Image Is a Pride, Not a Price.

In 2019, Gatete founded Rwanda Nordic TV, a YouTube channel through which he shares stories about Rwanda, highlights development taking place in the country and features the experiences of Rwandans living in the Nordic region. 

Explaining why he started the channel, Gatete told KPMedia: “There had been a growing use of social media, but some people were using these platforms to smear and defame Rwanda and attack the country’s leaders.” 

He said such narratives sometimes created a distorted picture of Rwanda abroad, including claims that the country was unsafe to visit and that images showing its development were fabricated.

“I decided to start a YouTube channel to showcase the activities of Rwandans living in Northern Europe, as well as development taking place in Rwanda itself,” he said.

Although Gatete has another job that supports him, he makes time to produce content for his channel almost every day. He sometimes records videos using his phone while at work or at home.

Gatete is particularly critical of Rwandans who use social media to insult or disparage their own country. He believes some do so because they have lost a sense of pride in their identity and origins.

“I would call such people self-rejecting. I mean people who reject themselves and do not love their home,” he said.

“They are not proud of who they are, what they are, or the country they come from,” he added.

For young Rwandans born and raised abroad, Gatete believes exposure to conflicting narratives about Rwanda can sometimes make it difficult for them to understand their heritage. He says social gatherings, cultural exchanges and opportunities to share knowledge can help young people develop a more informed understanding of Rwanda.

Despite his strong views, Gatete says his approach is not to respond to critics through insults. Instead, he believes opposing views should be challenged through arguments and evidence. 

“If you have a platform and you insult the President of the Republic, it does not take much intelligence to respond by showing people that those arguments are baseless,” he said. 

He also believes that people with opposing political views should be given an opportunity to engage in debate. Gatete said he has previously hosted someone who disagreed with his views, allowing both sides to present their arguments.

Gatete rejects suggestions that he promotes Rwanda because he is paid or instructed to do so. 

“I don’t think you need to give me money to say that roads and schools are being built in the country, or that healthcare is improving,” he said. 

“These are things that are visible,” he insisted.

He added: “Speaking for your country should not require someone to help you by giving you money or a position. Some people come and tell me they want a position in government. No! I don’t need a position. What I am doing is enough for me.”

Gatete also believes Rwanda’s media should do more to present the country’s story to international audiences, particularly through social media platforms that are widely used by young people. 

He further urged young Rwandans living abroad not to allow painful aspects of Rwanda’s history to prevent them from discovering their country. 

Instead, he encourages them to visit Rwanda, seek reliable information and develop their own understanding of the country and its people.

For Gatete, Rwanda Nordic TV is therefore more than a YouTube channel. It is his personal contribution to telling Rwanda’s story and encouraging Rwandans abroad to remain connected to their roots.