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Rwanda opposition calls for reforms ahead of September elections

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By EMMANUEL RUTAYISIRE Special Correspondent

Posted  Saturday, May 11  2013 at  16:23

IN SUMMARY

• Rwanda goes to the polls this September under a stringent legal regime governing political parties that requires members of political parties to apply for permission from the government to hold demonstrations and public meetings, five days in advance.

With barely four months to go before the parliamentary elections, opposition politicians are pushing for reforms in the electoral process in order to guarantee a competitive process.

Rwanda goes to the polls this September under a stringent legal regime governing political parties that requires members of political parties to apply for permission from the government to hold demonstrations and public meetings, five days in advance.

The Political Organisations Act, passed by the Senate this month, also bars politicians who have served jail sentences of more than five years from seeking elective office.

Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party (DGP) said: "The new law is tougher than the old one. Under the old law, parties just had to inform the government of their intention to hold demonstrations or meetings, but now you have to apply for permission."

The elections come at a critical moment — in the middle of a raging debate on the political course the country should take in 2017, when President Paul Kagame's constitutional term in office expires.

Political observers say the upcoming parliamentary elections need to be more competitive if they are to produce a parliament that is capable of navigating the nation through the upcoming transition.

In February this year, President Kagame caught many off-guard when he encouraged his political party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front, to debate the country's political transition come 2017.

Political observers say whether President Kagame retires in 2017 or not, a constitutional amendment of some sort must happen and the transition debate can no longer be a preserve of the ruling RPF, but will have to move to the national assembly.

This, analysts say, will require a vibrant parliament that is capable of playing a pivotal role in the country's transition and should be composed of at least some people espousing a different political narrative, outside RPF's influence.

This will be the third parliamentary election under RPF's 19-year rule.

Parliamentarians in Rwanda do not belong to a particular constituency — they are handpicked by their parties depending on the seats won in the elections.

The Constitution provides for proportional representation, the reason some analysts say legislators' first loyalty is to their respective political parties, not citizens.

This voting pattern sets Rwanda and Burundi apart from other EAC member states where parliamentarians are voted in through universal suffrage. This, in part, is why some political observers say the two countries have relatively weaker parliaments.

Rwanda has 10 registered political parties, all believed to be under the influence of RPF; according to analysts, these parties seem generally not to have ambitions to vie for political power.

Mr Habineza says authorities at Gasabo district denied his Green Democratic Party permission to convene a congress meeting, which is a precondition to have the party registered. The decision by the district authorities, observers say, could not have been made without tacit approval of senior officials of the ruling RPF.

READ: Wrangles rock Green Party of Rwanda

Mr Habineza says his party's ambition to have representatives in the forthcoming house could be thwarted by the events of last week.
"We have spent close to four years now, trying to register our party," the opposition politician said.

The other opposition political parties that could have provided the envisioned different narrative are PS Imberakuri of Bernard Ntaganda and FDU Inkingi of Victoire Ingabire — but their leaders are serving jail terms.

"We need people with great ideas and agendas. Some people like to put on other people's shirts for no reason. Rwanda has its peculiar situation," said Dr Joseph Karemera, a retired senator and member of RPF's national executive committee.

A senior university don speaking on condition of anonymity cast serious doubt on whether any politician with divergent views will enter the forthcoming parliament.