March 2016

Friday, 11 March 2016

Upon invitation by the Rwandan Parliament, on Thursday, 10th March 2016, the President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, together with the Party’s Secretary General and National Treasurer, met with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament in charge of Legal affairs and control of the Government, accompanied by the Director of Legal Affairs and discussed issues concerning DGPR’s requests for electoral and political reforms. The Deputy Speaker, cited some articles in the constitution and the organic law governing the Rwandan parliament, saying that the Party has no rights to call for legal reforms, that it’s only the obligation of a member of parliament, group of parliamentarians and cabinet, which can initiate a legal revision. Democratic Green Party leaders, reminded the Deputy Speaker, that the Party has currently no member in Parliament and thus requested the Parliament in general to initiate that process, especially after what was witnessed last year, when millions of Rwandan flocked Parliament calling for constitutional reform. The Deputy Speaker, clarified that all Members of Parliament represent and serve the interest of the general public, but we do need to identify one who could start the process or ask Cabinet to do so. Given the fact that all the Members of Parliament represent the general Public, DGPR once again requests the Rwandan Parliament to take this matter as a national priority and make those electoral and political reforms, since all MPs equally represent DGPR members in Parliament. P.S: Press Statement from Parliament is attached. For more details, please contact: Mr.Ntezimana Jean Claude Secretary General, DGPR Phone: +250788774757

Monday, 7 March 2016

The Political Bureau of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, during its meeting on 5th March 2016 in Kigali, decided that it will not participate in the upcoming Presidential elections, if the Government of Rwanda does not respond to its demands for political and electoral reforms. DGPR submitted its petition to the Rwandan Parliament on 10th February 2016, but till now, it has received no response. The opposition Party also decided that it will make a people’s peaceful match and visit to the Rwandan Parliament soon in order to clarify its positions to the members of Parliament. Among the key demands for participating in the upcoming Presidential elections, we have the following: DGPR requests the introduction of an electronic voting system that equally uses ballot papers. DGPR requests that media organizations be allowed to announce election results after being declared by poll officials at all polling stations and tallying centers. DGPR requests that Election observers be allowed to monitor elections in all poling and tallying centers at Village, Cell, Sector and District levels. DGPR requests that all Political Parties be represented in the National Electoral Commission. DGPR requests that the political parties law of 12/07/2013 be revised, especially in its article 24, where it prohibits political parties to accept donations from foreign organizations. The law can be revised and conditions be put on foreign support, such as declarations of the source of funding and provision of reports to the concerned Government bodies. DGPR requests that the election law be revised for political parties to receive campaign support from the state in advance, instead of being reimbursed after getting the 5 percent of the national vote after the elections. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda call us upon the Rwandan Government to give equal treatment and opportunities to the members of the opposition and stop treating them as foreigners or enemies of the state. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, also trained its members on Sustainable Health Care, and demands the Government of Rwanda to make a new policy that gives equal access and chances to the local people who are subscribed to the mutual insurance scheme. The locals need to be treated equally like other insured Rwandans under Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). Currently, those under Mutual Insurance scheme, get poor service and generic medicines, which most times do not heal serious diseases. Citizens are also pressurized by local government officials to pay the insurance money and sometimes their cattle, goats, food produce is confiscated in order to pay. There is also an urgent need to address absence of doctors and medical practitioners during weekends. The party registered cases of people who lost their babies and people in general, after getting no help form Health Centres during weekend. The Ministry of Health should address this challenge. DGPR calls upon all hospitals and health centres to: reduce and recycle solid waste, reduce regulated and chemical waste, reduce energy and water consumption, create healing environments, and establish green purchasing policies. DGPR also calls upon the Rwanda Government to start a new policy of specialised training for traditional healers and improved traditional medicine. The traditional healers, need study scholarships and applied research in order to become real professionals. Done at Kigali, 7th March 2016 Dr.Frank Habineza President, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda