We Are Broke, We Are Cooked”: Rwanda Youth Viral Video

Kigali A short video clip, recorded by a young Rwandan woman in her home, has exploded across social media platforms. But it's not the visuals that shocked viewers; it's her words. Calm yet piercing, personal yet deeply political, her message is clear:

“We, the youth of Rwanda, are broke. We are cooked. Things are really bad.”

In just 45 seconds, she strips away the façade of Rwanda’s celebrated “success story,” revealing a generation suffocating beneath rising poverty, youth unemployment, and economic inequality.

Her testimony, raw, viral, and now polarizing, has ignited a national conversation about what lies beneath Kigali’s skyscrapers, drone showcases, and tech hub branding. Behind the polished image, many youth say reality doesn’t match the propaganda.

A Generation in Crisis

“I look good, right?” she says in the video. “But if you check my account, there’s only 300 Rwandan Francs, that’s 2 U.S. cents.” Her voice cracks between frustration and resignation. “We are not okay.”

Her words resonated deeply, especially among Rwanda’s unemployed and underemployed youth, many of whom took to TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to share similar stories. But they also sparked backlash from government-linked figures who accused her of being part of “opposition propaganda,” labeling her among the so-called “Ibigarasha”, a term President Paul Kagame himself once used to dismiss dissenters.

Culture of Silence and Fear

In Rwanda, open criticism of the government is rare — and often dangerous. The young woman’s video broke an unwritten rule: Don’t speak out. Don’t question the system. Appear content.

The reaction was swift. Government supporters accused her of tarnishing the country’s image. Others questioned her patriotism. A known pro-government account even claimed she was mentally unstable, a common tactic used to discredit dissent.

But civil society voices have pushed back, urging leaders to focus on fixing the problem, not attacking the messenger. “This youth isn’t the enemy,” one tweet read. “The economy is.”

Mental Toll and Censorship

Reports now suggest the young woman has suffered mental health consequences due to online harassment and government intimidation. Her viral fame, meant to be a wake-up call, has become a warning sign of how far Rwanda’s tolerance for criticism has collapsed.

What Happened to “Vision 2050”?

Under Kagame’s FPR government, Rwanda pledged to create 200,000 jobs annually, as part of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2). While state media boasts of “progress,” the testimonies from youth, like this one, suggest a growing disconnect between policy claims and lived reality.

Unemployment. Food inflation. Rising rents. Stagnant wages. Kigali’s tech-powered utopia isn’t lifting all boats, especially not the youth.

What This Moment Reveals

This viral moment isn’t just about one girl’s bank balance; it’s a crack in the image. For too long, Rwanda’s narrative has been built on external validation, donor-friendly metrics, and authoritarian discipline disguised as “stability.”

But the youth are speaking now. And they’re speaking in Rwandan, online, and with urgency.

Final Thought

Rwanda doesn’t need more image management. It needs economic justice for the youth, the unemployed, and those silenced by fear

If leaders can’t listen to a 20-year-old woman with 300 francs, who will they listen to?