Stranded at the airport

August 10, 12:00am

The midnight flight from Nairobi to Kigali was the most comfortable of the lot: firm, leather seats, generous leg room, smiling flight attendants with snacks.

After landing, while we taxied towards the gate, the man in the next seat welcomed me to Rwanda.  I mention I had visited several summers ago.  Then he reminds me:

“You know, the elections are tonight.  We are electing our president today.”

“Oh, right that’s tonight,” I said.  “Have they already tallied the votes?”

He smirked, “No, not yet.”

Then he lowered his voice, leaned in toward me, says with a sly grin: “But we all know who the winner will be.”

We exit the plane, to a bus, then to the airport.  Passed through passport control, then downstais to baggage claim.  Waiting for my bags, I kept an eye on the lobby, expecting to find a driver holding a sign with my name on it.  I haul my bags into the after-hours airport lobby, sitting on an empty bench.  I turned away a few soliciting taxi drivers, saying “Sorry, I’ve got someone meeting me.”

I checked a few emails on the airport wireless, checked my watch (12:15am), wrote a few emails, then checked my watch again.  Around thirty minutes past midnight, I grew skeptical that anyone was coming at all.  Just as I started thinking I might take a taxi driver up on his offer, I heard a voice over my shoulder:

“Looks like your waiting for a ride that didn’t show up.”

“That’s what I’m starting to suspect,” I answer.

My new friend turned out to be a generous missionary, Blake, waiting for his sister who was stuck on a delayed flight.  Since he had an hour to spare, he offered to give me a ride to a hotel.  I agree gladly, and we head out into dimly lit parking lot to find his truck.

“Let’s get you to a hotel quickly.  I don’t want to keep us out too long,” he said, as he started up the engine.  As we drove past the front gates of the airport parking lot he explained his anxiety:

“Since elections are tonight, things might get a little crazy.”  He explained that at this time everyone was packed into the sports stadium celebrating a huge election night party; Blake was nervous about the after party.

We made our way through Kigali’s winding and vacant streets to a nice hotel downtown.  A half dozen hotel guards loitered around the front desk, watching the election party on the lobby television screen.  No election results yet, but plenty of celebration: the stadium was packed with Kigami supporters, waving streamers and sparklers.  They all cheered a self-assured Kigami who presided over the spectacle.