Rwanda''s opposition backs removal of term limits

By Taddeo Bwambale

KIGALI - Rwanda’s second largest political party, Parti Social Démocrate (PSD), has backed the removal of term limits for elected political leaders in the country’s constitution.

The resolution was declared at the closure of a two-day national congress in Kigali, during which new party leaders were elected.

Dr Vincent Biruta, the PSD president, who is also Rwanda’s minister for natural resources, said they resolved to remove term limits in the party’s constitution and to back the removal of the provision from all levels of the country’s political leadership.

“In our political party, we do not believe in term limits. We feel that this should be determined by the people,” he said at a news conference shortly after the party’s declaration.

Prior to this announcement, a heated debate ensued among party members, with some opposing the removal of term limits, especially for the country’s president.

Rwandans will go to the polls in 2017 and the debate has split Rwandans on whether the constitution should be amended to allow President Paul Kagame to seek re-election after his two-year term ends. 

Kagame is the sixth president of Rwanda and commanded the rebel force that ended the 1994 Rwandan genocide. He is held in high regard for steering the country’s socio-economic transformation.

With two years left to the next election, some Rwandans have petitioned parliament to amend the constitution to allow Kagame to stand for President, although some remain opposed to the move.

President Kagame has previously stated his interest not to run for another term, but insists the people of Rwanda have the right to decide their destiny.

Article 101(a) states: “No circumstance-external or internal, political or social, present or future by any institution or individual – may be the basis for allowing any person to be president if that person has served two terms.”

Proponents of the amendment seek to use Article 193 which provides that the amendment concerning the term of the President must be passed by referendum, after adoption by each Chamber of Parliament.

Dr Biruta said his party had established a committee to scrutinise aspects of the constitution for amendment, including article 101.

He also disclosed that the party was preparing to field its presidential candidate for the polls, even if the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) endorses Kagame. 

Rwanda has ten registered political parties and PSD is considered the largest opposition party, although the ruling party describes other parties as ‘political partners.’ In an interview with New Vision, Fredrick Goloba Mutebi, a Ugandan political analyst and researcher said Rwandans have a right to amend the constitution if they have genuine reasons.

“I do not buy the idea that the constitution should be cast in stone. If people feel the constitution is not serving their interests, they have the right to change it,” Goloba said.

“Rwandans are looking at opening up term limits as a principle, not focusing on Kagame. The problem is that we, in Africa, copy term limits from Europe, without understanding its purpose,” he explained.

He added: “Politics in Rwanda is unconventional; it is a different model compared to what I have not seen, where people cannot agree on a practice without confrontation,” he said. During the PSD party congress that attracted over 800 delegates, each speaker was emphatic about the need to preserve peace shun violence as a method of political agitation.

In sharp contrast to neighbouring Burundi where people have gone to the streets to protest the removal of term limits for President, groups of Rwandans are mobilising in droves to support such a move. 

As the 2017 presidential elections draw near, a campaign for a constitutional amendment to remove term limits is gaining momentum. By press time, however, RPF, the ruling party had not pronounced its self on the weekend development.

According to the Parliamentary Outreach Department, so far, over 30 different interest groups, including farmer’s cooperative societies, students, women’s, youth and religious groups have petitioned parliament, for the change. 

The groups also wrote to President Kagame asking him to be ready to contest if the Constitution is amended.