Politics

Rwanda’s Paul Kagame announces plan to contest for third term. See other African leaders who broke the law

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2022

Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, has announced his intention to contest for the third term which could see him remain in office until 2034.

Even though the Rwandan constitution limits the tenure to two seven-year terms, Kagame’s announcement that he would extend his rule beyond 2027, would require amending the constitution to suit his desire.

The move which has been roundly criticized by civil society groups in the country has been subtly promoted by calls on state-controlled media for Kagame to be allowed to stay on for a third.

Kagame, a former Colonel in the Rwandan army who came to power in 2000 after leading the Rwandan Patriotic Front to overthrow the extremist Hutu government behind the 1994 genocide, transformed himself into a civilian president when he contested and won the presidental elections in 2003 and again in 2010 with overwhelming majorities.

This is not the first time Kagame will go against the Rwandan constitution on the tenure of the president. In December 2015, in a nationwide address, Kagame had announced that he would run for a third term because the people wanted him to continue.

“You asked me to continue to lead this country after 2017. Given its importance to you, I can only accept,” he had said.

But Kagame will not be the first African leader to go beyond his tenure and extend his stay in office.

Examples abound all around the continent as many presidents have had to amend their country constitutions to favour their quest to remain in power.

He will be joining the elite class of Africa’s sit-tight leaders who circumvented their country’s constitution and manipulated the processes to perpetuate themselves in power.

He will be in league with the likes of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea who has ruled the tiny oil-rich nation for over 38 years and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni who changed the country’s constitution over five times to keep himself in power.

Other sit-tight African presidents include the now late Jose Eduardo dos Santos who perpetuated himself as Angola’s president for over 40 years, late Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who was arguably the world’s oldest president at 93 and had been president for 40 years.

Others in this esteem list include late Chadian president, Idriss Deby, Sudan’
Omar Al-Bashir, Isaias Afewerki of Eritrea, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Republic of Congo, Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe who made sure he was succeeded by his son.

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Politics

Again, Rwanda denies it attacked displaced persons in DR Congo

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

For the sixteenth time, Rwanda refuted US charges on Saturday that its troops attacked a camp for internally displaced persons in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), placing the blame instead on militants it claimed were backed by the military of the Congo.

The US State Department released a statement in which it vehemently denounced the incident that claimed at least nine lives on Friday.

There have been persistent accusations against Rwanda of providing support to the armed organizations, which has resulted in diplomatic tensions between the neighbours in East Africa.

Citing the threat that Rwanda’s surface-to-air missile systems posed to civilians, U.N. and other regional peacekeepers, aid workers, and commercial aircraft operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the US demanded in February that Rwanda remove its systems and all of its armed forces from the DRC immediately. Rwanda denies providing any assistance to the rebels.

According to the U.S. statement, the M23 rebel group, which Rwanda supports, and the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) held the positions from which the attack was launched. The United States is “gravely concerned about the recent RDF and M23 expansion” in eastern Congo.

Speaking on behalf of the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo refuted claims that the RDF was responsible for the attack, blaming instead rebels backed by the Congolese military.

“The RDF, a professional army, would never attack an IDP (displaced persons). Look to the lawless FDLR and Wazalendo supported by the FARDC (Congolese military) for this kind of atrocity,” she said in a post on X.

Wazalendo is a Christian sect, while the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) is a Hutu organization that was founded by Hutu officials who left Rwanda after planning the 1994 genocide.

Thousands of people from the surrounding areas have fled to Goma in eastern Congo as a result of the M23 rebels’ two-year offensive, which has advanced toward the city in recent months.

Politics

Liberia: President Boakai signs order to create war crimes court

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

To provide long-overdue justice to those who suffered grave injustices during the two civil wars that raged in Liberia, President Joseph Boakai has signed an executive order to establish a war crimes court. Boakai granted his final approval and congratulated the lawmakers for their effort in the legislation.

Many atrocities, such as rape, massacres, and the use of child soldiers, occurred during the wars that lasted from 1989 to 2003. A special court was eventually ordered to be established to try those who were deemed to be at fault by the Truth and Reconciliation Committee.

President Boakai proposed a resolution to create a special court, which was later backed by Liberia’s lower house and senate.

“The conviction that brings us here today is that, for peace and harmony to have a chance to prevail, justice and healing must perfect the groundwork,” Boakai said in a special address.

Activists and civil society organizations that have demanded greater justice for crimes committed during the conflicts that claimed the lives of almost 250,000 people have praised the initiative.

With support from global organizations like the UN, the court would function in Liberia under international norms once it was operational. Economic offences will also be handled by it.

Meanwhile, some in Liberia are against its development, arguing that it could weaken the amnesty law that was already in place and cause old grievances to resurface. This helped put a stop to the violence.