In this paper I explore tensions and conflicts over poverty reduction and urban development in
Kigali, Rwanda’s capital in terms of theories of performativity. On one hand, motorcycle taxis
offer large numbers of young men good livelihoods – reflecting the government of Rwanda’s
stated commitment to poverty reduction, especially amongst youth; on the other, motorcycle taxi
drivers suffer harassment at the hands of city authorities and police, who are keen to eradicate
motorcycle taxis from the urban scene altogether. I interpret this tension as a conflict over the
appropriate performance of development in the city; I argue that in pursuit of urban development,
the city itself becomes an image, projected in order to attract the investment which will give body to
the simulated spectacle that Kigali present. Conflicts between the city and motorcycle taxi drivers
erupt because motorcycle taxis cannot perform to the aesthetic standards of the new Kigali. In
conclusion, I suggest that the rendition of Kigali’s development as image has broader lessons for
studies of development in general. Specifically, these conflicts expose the operation of images and
their performance as political resources, conferring intelligibility and legitimacy in the spectacle
of national development.