‘Only 10’ Rwandans against Kagame’s third term bid

Only 10 Rwandans opposed the removal of constitutional term limit to allow President Paul Kagame rule beyond 2017, a top lawmaker has said.

Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye, the deputy speaker of the chamber of deputies, presented a report on the consultation, saying a vast majority of the people want term limit removed, with just 10 people in the opposition.

The report of the consultations which started on July 20, 2015 was also unanimously voted for by 24 senators, with no opposition whatsoever.

Apollinaire Mushinzimana, one of the senators said, “the senate should consider demands of Rwandans and amend article 101 of the constitution.”

More than 3.7m Rwandans were said to have petitioned the lawmakers to amend article 101 of the Rwandan constitution to remove the term limit on the office of the president.

The petition is said to represent over 60 percent of the eligible voters in the central east African country.

According to Bernard Makuza, the senate president, the lawmakers have resolved that the first national constitution be amended to allow Kagame rule beyond 2017.

Speaking on Kagame’s influence in the country, the president was said to have effectively led the 1990-94 liberation war; stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi; and satisfactorily managed the country’s economic revival.

The Newtimes, a Rwandan daily, quoted Uwimanimpaye saying Kagame brought security to Rwanda.

“He did not only unite the nation and remove ethnic tags from the national identity card but he also brought about security and the country enjoys utmost security.”