Juillet 2019

jeudi 25 juillet 2019

Democratic Green Party s new National Executive Committee Members Approved by the Political Bureau, 20th July 2019 During its ordinary seating on 20th July 2019, the Political Bureau elected new Party Commissioners and therefore, confirmed the new National Executive Committee. It’s imperative to note that in addition to the Commissioners the National Executive Committee is also made up of 9 members from the Central Executive Committee who were elected by the Party Congress last year. Below is the full list of NEC Members. Central Executive Committee: President: Hon.Dr.Frank HABINEZA First Vice President: Ms.Carine MAOMBI Second Vice President: Mr.Leonard GASHUGI Secretary General: Hon.Jean Claude NTEZIMANA Deputy Secretary General: Ms.Seraphine MUKAMANA National Treasurer: Ms. Icyizanye MASOZERA Deputy National Treasurer: Ms. Denyse MUKANSANGA Organizing Secretary: Ms. Aime Marie UWIZEYIMANA Communication Secretary: Mr.Jean Deogratious TUYISHIME Commissioners: Commissioner General: Mr.Alexis MUGISHA Commissioner for Economic Affairs: Mr.Alphonse RURANGWA Commissioner for Democracy and Good Governance: Mr.Peter NDUWAYEZU Commissioner for International Relations and Diplomacy: Mr.Vincent HABUMUGISHA Commissioner for Environmental Affairs: Mr. Jean Marie Vianey MWISENEZA Commissioner for Gender and Youth: Ms. Jackie UWERA Commissioner for Vulnerable Groups: Ms. Goreth NIMUKUZE Commissioner for Legal and Human Rights Affairs: Ms. Antoinette MUKARUREMA Commissioner for Elections and Mobilization: Mr.Eugene RANGIRA Commissioner for Planning, Research and Development: Ms. Berna MUKANDOLI Commissioner for Civil Society Affairs: Mr. Peter NDAMUKUNDA Commissioner for Political and Cultural Affairs: Mr.Sylvestre HITIMANA Commissioner for Information and Communication: Mr. Augustin MPARAYE

jeudi 25 juillet 2019

Parliament Chamber of Deputies has revisited the organic law governing elections to allow the bill to make sense to the current situation four years after the latest review.The law of 2003 revised in 2015, was tabled for approval on July 22. However, it came with the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda raising debate on major changes that will come with the new bill. The new bill retained that the initiative to call a referendum lies within the ambit of the President of the Republic and a Presidential Order determines the election day of referendum and its purpose. However, using his experience from running for the 2017 presidential election, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) President Dr. Frank Habineza said that the law was limiting in many aspects especially requiring an independent to gather the required signatures and limiting the powers to the president to call for referendum. “Why is it not possible to have citizens call for a referendum? As we saw in the 2015, citizens proposed one to vote on presidential term limits,” Dr. Habineza said. Also in other points, an independent presidential candidate will be required to collect 600 signatures or fingerprints, including at least twelve (12) people in each District. This according to Green Party was another challenge. “It is better we reconsider this because to get 600 people endorse a candidate is a problem. I would rather suggest that a candidate should bring 200 signatures as it is required in the registration of a political party,” Habineza said. The chairperson of Political and Gender Equality Committee Emma-Furaha Rubagumya said that retaining the number at 600 signatures intended to show that the candidate is capable of being a leader. “If one cannot raise 600 signatures, I am tempted to doubt their capacity to be a good leader,” Rubagumya said, asking the Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka to elaborate the logical perspective behind this choice. Prof. Shyaka said that to keep the number at 600 signatures was informed by the constitution, and the fact that one has to show that they are able to represent a community of 12million Rwandans. Green Party’s Dr. Habineza also opposed a requirement for independents to collect at least 5% of the votes asking that this should be reduced to at least 2% or 1%. Habineza was also joined by fellow party member MP Pie Nizeyimana to oppose the passing of the articles requiring candidates for the 80 parliamentary seats to present power of attorney papers and to bring recommendations from their party presidents. Meanwhile, registration for senate candidates for September 17 elections kicked off on July 22 and will run through August 9. Source: https://ktpress.rw/2019/07/parliament-passes-the-amended-electoral-bill/

jeudi 25 juillet 2019

N’ubwo Umutwe w’Abadepite w’Inteko Ishinga amategeko ku wa 22 Nyakanga 2019 wemeje Umushinga w’Itegeko rigenga amatora, abadepite bamwe bo muri Green Party banze kuwemeza. Bamwe mu badepite bo mu Ishyaka ’Democratic Green Party’ basanga Perezida wa Repubulika atari we wenyine ufite ububasha bwo gukoresha Referandumu. Ingingo y’106 y’uyu mushinga w’Itegeko ivuga ko Perezida wa Repubulika ari we ufite ububasha bwo gukoresha Referandumu. Akandi gaka k’iyi ngingo gakomeza kavuga ko Referandumu ikorwa mu buryo bwo kubaza abaturage bujuje ibyangombwa, bakaba ari bo batanga igisubizo ku kibazo cyabajijwe. Mbere y’itorwa rya referandumu ryabaye muri 2015, Perezida wa Repubulika Paul Kagame, mu bubasha ahabwa n’iri tegeko, yari yabanje gusaba abagize umuryango RPF Inkotanyi gusubiza ikibazo cy’ibizakurikiraho nyuma yo kurangiza manda muri 2017. Nyuma y’ubwo busabe, abaturage barenga miliyoni eshatu bagejeje amabaruwa ku Nteko, basaba guhindura Itegeko Nshinga kugira ngo Perezida wa Repubulika yemererwe kongera kwiyamamaza. Depite Frank Habineza yanze gushyigikira iyi ngingo y’106 avuga ko atumva impamvu ari Perezida wa Repubulika wenyine ufite ububasha bwo gukoresha referandumu, nyamara n’abaturage hari igihe babugaragaje . Democratic Green Party yanze no gutora ingingo ya 83 y’uyu mushinga w’itegeko, isaba umukandida wigenga ku mwanya wa Perezida wa Repubulika, imikono y’abantu 600 bamushyigikiye. Depite Habineza agira ati Abo bantu ni benshi cyane ku muntu umwe . Ntabwo byumvikana ukuntu umutwe wa politiki ari na wo ukomeye kurusha umukandida wigenga, ugomba kuba ugizwe byibura n’abantu 200, ariko ugahabwa uburenganzira bwo gutanga umukandida . Komisiyo y’Umutwe w’Abadepite ishinzwe ibibazo bya Politiki n’Uburinganire(ari na yo yateguye uyu mushinga w’itegeko), ivuga ko umuntu udashobora kubona abantu 12 bamushyigikiye muri buri karere, ngo adakwiriye kwiyamamariza kuba Perezida wa Repubulika. Depite Habineza, anasaba ko amafaranga ahabwa abakandida bigenga n’imitwe ya Politiki kugira ngo abafashe mu bikorwa byo kwiyamamaza, yajya atangwa mbere y’ibyo bikorwa byo kwiyamamaza. Depite Habineza yakomeje yanga gutora ingingo ya 90 isaba umukandida wigenga ku mwanya w’ubudepite, kugira byibura amajwi 5% y’abatoye kugira ngo yemererwe kwinjira mu Nteko. Dr Habineza asabira umukandida wigenga kugabanyirizwa amajwi asabwa, akava kuri 5% akagirwa 2% cyangwa 1%. Anasaba ko umutwe wa Politiki nawo ugabanyirizwa amajwi kuva kuri 5% kugera kuri 3% byibura, kugira ngo ugire umudepite uwuhagararira mu Nteko. Yanakomeza avuga ko hashyirwaho uburyo abayobozi b’inzego z’ibanze bajya batorwa baturutse mu mitwe ya politiki. Depite Habineza atanga urugero rw’uko mu gihe nk’abayobozi b’uturere baramuka batowe bava mu mitwe ya politiki, ngo haba habayeho uburyo bwo gusaranganya ubutegetsi nk’uko bimeze mu Nteko. Source: https://www.kigalitoday.com/politiki/amakuru/article/green-party-ntiyumva-impamvu-perezida-wa-repubulika-ahabwa-gukoresha-referandumu-wenyine

jeudi 25 juillet 2019

On July 20 last week, I was invited to engage members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda on the delicate but important subject of electoral reform, the political and electoral systems, and how to strengthen democratic institutions in the country. Interestingly, during the question and answer session, the recurrent question asked and commented on by members is “why the Green party hasn’t yet been ‘given’ cabinet and other positions in government yet it’s a constitutional requirement”. The President of the party, Dr. Frank Habineza responded to his members by saying that he has raised the issue with concerned authorities─like the Senate and Rwanda Governance Board and the Speaker of the Lower Chamber of Deputies, without getting a response. Habineza added that that he will be writing to the President of the Republic as the custodian of the Constitution requesting him to do the needful. At a press conference with journalists after the training and meeting of his party’s politiburo, Habineza repeated his call for cabinet positions. In the September 2018 parliamentary election, the Green Party and PS-Imberakuri garnered the required constitutional threshold of 5 percent to join parliament and each secured two seats in the Lower Chamber of parliament. Legally, this milestone gives these parties a legal right to be represented in government. Article 62 of the 2003 Constitution stipulates that, in the spirit of power-sharing, cabinet positions will be distributed in proportion to seats held in parliament, and parties represented in parliament will also be represented in government. Paragraph One of Article 62 states: “Power sharing is respected in State institutions in accordance with the fundamental principles set out under Article 10 of this Constitution and the provisions of other laws”. While it must have been an oversight on the part of constitutional framers to suggest “power-sharing in state institutions”─which by definition “state institutions” would include the military, police, security agencies and prisons, we will take it that constitution framers meant the “government” NOT “state institutions”. For while a state is permanent and its members not elected or a result of “sharing” from different parties, government is elected for a specific period of time─currently seven years and five years in the revised constitution of 2015. What power-sharing in government would mean is, besides presence in cabinet, political parties represented in Parliament would also get positions in other institutions of government and ambassadorial positions. Specifically, Paragraph Three of the above article states: “Cabinet members are selected from political organisations on the basis of seats held by those political organisations in the Chamber of Deputies. However, a political organisation holding the majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies cannot have more than fifty (50%) per cent of Cabinet members. It is not prohibited for other competent persons to be appointed to Cabinet”. The Green Party members have been consistent in demanding that this provision of the constitution be implemented. The reasons why no member of the Green Party or PS-Imberakuri has been appointed either to cabinet or any other position in government, have only remained a matter of speculation. Some assert that, perhaps, these parties haven’t yet gained the confidence of the appointing authority, to be entrusted with weighty responsibilities. Others claim that since these parties are still “small” and nascent, they don’t have enough qualified and experienced members to serve in high positions while others say that, perhaps, the President hasn’t found time to scrutinize and decide who to appoint to what position in government. Whatever the reasons however, appointing some members of the Green-Party and PS-Imberakuri would advance constitutional rule and consolidate “consensual-powering” political settlement. Remember, this political settlement has origins in our violent and exclusionist politics that the post-genocide leadership decided to abandon in favour of inclusive and consensual politics to undermine violent contestations for power. This also means that, despite some individuals who claim that the demand made by the Green Party for position in government is only an individual plea for positions motivated by self-aggrandizement on the part of its leaders, is superfluous. This demand is, instead, a call for a higher cause: strengthening constitutional rule through implementing constitutional provisions. Remember, Article 98, Paragraph Two of the Constitution states that: “The President of the Republic is the defender of the Constitution and the guarantor of national unity”. And Article 112 empowers the president to enact presidential orders, including orders appointing and dismissing ministers and various other senior officials in government. Clearly, it’s a constitutional responsibility for the President, as the custodian of our constitution to do the needful, and it’s appropriate for aggrieved parties to request him to fulfil this important constitutional requirement. Doing so would also greatly strengthen what the preamble to our constitution says; which is that, Rwandans “COMMITTED to building a State governed by the rule of law” and “building a State based on consensual and pluralistic democracy founded on power sharing”. Dr.Chritopher KAYUMBA Source:https://www.chronicles.rw/2019/07/23/giving-green-party-and-ps-imberakuri-govt-positions-would-advance-constitutional-rule/

jeudi 25 juillet 2019

On Saturday, 20th July 2019, the Democratic Green Party s political bureau (second highest organ) was in Kigali for a forum on electoral reforms. In exclusive interview, Dr Habineza revealed to The Chronicles’ Protais Mbarushimana his latest project: engaging directly with President Paul Kagame as Head of State and Chairman of the dominant ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) party. Below are excepts: The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda Executive Committee is convened here, why? Firstly, we are attending a lecture and training on elections reform conducted by Dr Kayumba Christopher. At the same time, we will have our Politburo meeting afterwards. You have been agitating for elections reforms for sometime, what is wrong with our electoral system? We have had to keep talking about elections because it is a key first step in any democratic dispensation whether in Rwanda or elsewhere. What reforms have you suggested be brought on board? As we have pointed out, the Green Party is supposed to have representatives on the National Electoral Commission across all levels including national, provincial, district and other local instances of government such that we are involved in decision making. This is to ensure that we are involved in the collection and tallying of votes. Otherwise, how can we be sure it was done in transparency? Further from that, as we have repeatedly discussed in previous meetings, the regulations on local government elections should be revised to make them more clear. For example, if an individual seeks office as an independent at [the] district level, they should not be obliged to join any political party after they win. If an independent candidate wins an election without a political party, you can’t automatically make him or her a member of a political party. Can’t anyone become a district mayor without being endorsed by a political party? We believe this needs to be reviewed. In the meeting today you highlighted using technology for our elections, what exactly are suggesting is done? Deploying finger print technology will minimize any doubts that votes may not have been well tallied. However, using paper ballots leaves us unsure whether our votes were recorded. It is not secure. The possibility of cheating is greater. Rwanda is being recognized for the advancement of technology, why not bring that into elections as well. I would also like to raise the issue of involvement of the media in the polls… Go on, how should it? Another reform we are advancing is that the media should be allowed to publish results of polling stations where they are located. Why should journalists be required to wait until the end of an election. It makes no sense! If results of a particular polling station can be tallied by the Returning Officer of that site, why shouldn’t the media also be allowed to do the same? The government needs to look into the issue and review it otherwise it leaves Rwandans wondering. A cross section of the delegates at the Green Party training forum In your session today you also raised financial challenges experienced by the party, what is happening? The law says that the party will get state financing after elections and scoring over 5 percent. The Democratic Green Party believes this law should be amended as it leads to [the] death of small parties that do not have sufficient budgets. The funding should come before the election to help the candidates to organize campaigns. Additionally, the Government of Rwanda receives external funding from different sources including the World Bank and has successfully handled it, there is no reason political parties shouldn’t receive funding from international partners. As long as they will use the funding to participate in the development of the country. Just as there are no limitations to a government from soliciting foreign funding, the same should apply to political parties. What could be done is that the parties are obliged to report any such funding and how it was utilized. Such rules will eliminate the myth that political parties are likely to use that funding for terrorist activities. You have also been constantly agitating for power sharing, what exactly do you want? The national Constitution stipulates that power sharing should be the norm across all sectors of the country. It does not only refer to cabinet. What we are doing is reminding those concerned that multipartism is a strategic decision taken in Urugwiro [President’s Office] and there was a reason for that. Multipartism was adopted in order to fight against genocide ideology and build together a democratic country. But you are demanding for cabinet positions, were you promised the positions before the election? What other things were you promised? We have written letters, but they have not responded till now. When and what exactly is in the letters? I wrote the first letter to the Speaker of [the] Chamber of Deputies on February 20, 2016. I have not received any response till now. I wrote another letter to the Prime Minister on April 19, 2016. All the letters which I wrote were about requesting revision of electoral and political parties act. However nothing has been done up to now. Was there any response from the Prime Minister? The only response I received was from [Rwanda Governance Board] on August 31, 2016 notifying me that what I was asking for was not feasible. Why don’t you seek a meeting with the President of the Republic since he is chairman of RPF the dominant ruling party, to discuss with him instead of complaining from the outside? The Democratic Green Party intends to write a letter to the President of the Republic [reminding him to implement Art 62 of the constitution on power-sharing]. I suppose it is the only remaining instance we didn’t engage. However, we have spoken to some officials from his office and we are sure there is a 95% chance he got the message. As we finalise this conversation, anything else you would like Rwandans to know? I urge everyone to respect the rule of law not only by words but in actions as well. Source: https://www.chronicles.rw/2019/07/21/habinezas-green-party-seeks-talks-with-president-kagame-over-cabinet-positions/

dimanche 21 juillet 2019

Mu nama y’abahagarariye Ishyaka Riharanira Demokarasi no Kurengera Ibidukikije mu Rwanda (Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, DGPR) ku nzego zitandukanye (abagize Biro Politiki), abayitabiriye bahurije ku bikwiye kunozwa kugirango ibiva mu matora mu Rwanda birusheho kwizerwa. Abarwanashyaka ba DGPR basaba ko mu mategeko agenga amatora y’inzego z’ibanze hari ibikwiye gusubirwamo bigasobanuka niba abantu biyamamaza ku giti cyabo cyangwa bahagarariye amashyaka. Umuyobozi w’ishyaka DGPR, Hon. Dr. Frank Habineza, agira ati Usanga umuntu yiyamamaje ku giti cye ariko yamara kuzaba Meya, agahinduka Perezida w’Ishyaka runaka ku rwego rw’Akarere, ibyo bintu tubona bibangamiye demokarasi kuko umuntu aba yatowe n’abantu bose atagaragaje ishyaka arimo . Akomeza agira ati, Ntabwo bibujijwe ko umuntu aba mu ishyaka runaka, ariko niba uririmo ntugomba kurihagararira ku rwego rw’AKarere, cyangwa urw’umurenge, cyangwa Akagali cyangwa umudugudu kubera ko watowe mu nzego z’ubutegetsi bwite bwa Leta, icyo turifuza ko itegeko rizasubirwamo rigasobanuka neza . Umuyobozi w’Ishyaka DGPR, Depite Dr. Frank Habineza DGPR kandi isaba ko mu matora y’abagize Inteko Ishingamategeko naho abadepite bakwiye kujya batorwa bahagarariye akarere runaka kuko umudepite yarushaho kwita kuri abo bamutumye bamufiteho n’ijambo kurushaho. Barifuza kandi ko hashyirwaho amatora yifashisha ikoranabuhanga aho gukomeza gukoresha impapuro. Iki ngo ni kimwe mu byakongera icyizere cy’ibiyavamo. Mu gihe itangazamakuru ritegereza imibare rusange ya Komisiyo y’Amatora, abarwanashyaka ba DGPR basanga bidakwiye, bagasaba ko itangazamakuru ryahabwa uburenganzira bwo gutangaza ibyavuye mu matora ku biro by’itora runaka umunyamakuru yaba ariho, nyuma y’uko uhagarariye ibyo biro abitangaza. Ibi ngo byakongera ubushake abanyarwanda bagira bwo gukurikirana amatora kandi bigatanga icyizere kirenzeho ku biyavamo. Ikindi bifuza ni uko amafaranga ahabwa amashyaka yatanze umukandida mu matora, yazajya atangwa mbere agafasha abakandida mu bikorwa byo kwiyamamaza aho gutangwa nyuma y’amatora nabwo agahabwa abagize nibura 5% by’amajwi. Bakumva iyi ngingo nayo iri mu zikwiye kuvugururwa. Basaba kandi ko muri Komisiyo y’Igihugu y’Amatora, ishyaka ryabo rikwiye kugiramo urihagarariye ku rwego rw’igihugu ndetse no mu zindi nzego nk’uturere n’intara, bityo bakaba mu babara amajwi. Bavuga ko ari byiza gutora ariko ko no kuba mu babara amajwi byabafasha kumenya neza ibyavuye mu matora kuko baba babigizemo uruhare. DGPR irasaba Perezida wa Repubulika indi myanya mu buyobozi Uretse imyanya ibiri iri shyaka ryatsindiye mu matora y’Abagize inteko Ishingamategeko mu mwaka wa 2018 ndetse rikanayihabwa, rirasaba ko Perezida wa Repubulika ariha n’indi myanya mu buyobozi nk’uko biteganywa n’Itegeko Nshinga mu rwego rwo gusaranganya ubutegetsi. Hon. Dr. Frank Habineza agira ati, Kubahiriza Itegeko Nshinga ko imitwe ya Politiki yose ihagarariwe mu nteko Ishinga Amategeko, biba no mu zindi nzego za Leta. Ntibivuze kuba muri Guverinoma gusa, bivuze inzego za Leta zose nk’uko muzizi, hari ubucamanza, igipolisi, igisirikare n’izindi . Ingingo ya 62 y’Itegeko Nshinga igira iti, “Abagize Guverinoma batoranywa mu mitwe ya politiki hakurikijwe imyanya yayo mu Mutwe w‟Abadepite. Icyakora, Umutwe wa Politiki wabonye amajwi menshi mu matora y‟Abadepite ntushobora kurenza mirongo itanu ku ijana (50%) by’abagize Guverinoma. Ntibibujijwe ko n’abandi bantu bafite ubushobozi bashobora gushyirwa muri Guverinoma.” Ubuyobozi bw’Ishyaka bwagaragaje ko bwakoresheje inzira nyinshi zirimo izo ibiganiro n’inzego zitandukanye, itangazamakuru, n’izindi ngo icyifuzo cyabo kigere kuri Perezida wa Repubulika ariko ko batizeye neza ko cyamugezeho, ikaba ariyo mpamvu bemeje ko bagiye kumwandikira. Source: http://nonaha.com/ishyaka-dgpr-rirasaba-impinduka-mu-mategeko-n-amabwiriza-bigenga-amatora