‘Kagame’s third term bid no threat to democracy’
RWANDA’S High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Stanislas Kamanzi, has assured the international community that the decision by President Paul Kagame to run for third term in 2017 will not threaten the country’s democracy.
The envoy, who made this known yesterday, also maintained that the fact that 98.3 per cent of Rwandan people endorsed the Constitutional review, which gave room to President Kagame to contest in 2007 if he so desired, was a clear indication that he was the choice of the people.
Kagame, who has ruled Rwanda since 2000, was seeking another seven years in office following the amendment of June 2003 Constitution, where an overwhelming majority was said to have voted for the adoption of the new law through a referendum.
He was originally allowed by the law for two terms but with the new constitution, which endorsed a seven-year tenure and also made provision for his re-run, President Kagame may not vacate office until 2034 should he win the 2017 election.
According to the High Commissioner, the revision of term limits in the new constitution was, however, not aimed at institutionalising life Presidency but a proof that the incumbent has delivered on the dividend of leadership and the people would want him to consolidate on his achievements through another term in office.
He added that prior to the Constitution amendment, over four million Rwandan people had petitioned the government on the need for Kagame to contest for another term.
“Before the change of constitution, over four million people had petitioned that President Paul Kagame runs and the same people went ahead to persuade the Parliament to provide room for the president to run if he desired.
“The first step, therefore, was that people requested him to run and for him to run legally, the constitution has to back him”.
“It should be moreover understood that the revision on term limits in the new Constitution is no permission to institutionalise no change in leadership of the country, ad infinitum”, it added.
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1 Comments
Here comes another Mugabe in the making. The fact that 4 million out of a population of almost 13 million people purportedly petitioned the government?? Why can’t Africans ever learn.??
We will review and take appropriate action.