Off the wire
• Secrecy of TPP negotiations to be tested in New Zealand court  • Foreign exchange rates in Singapore  • Gold price closes lower in Hong Kong  • Urgent: Many feared dead after suicide attack in NE Nigeria local market: military source  • IOC members' vote for 2022 Winter Olympic Games concludes  • Urgent: Zimbabwe asks U.S. to extradite dentist to face trial over lion poaching  • Kiwi minister to visit Philippines, Vietnam to mark 40 years of ties with ASEAN  • Israel probes into "terror" torching attack on Palestinian homes  • Hong Kong stocks close 0.56 pct higher  • Quantum computing lab opens in Shanghai  
You are here: 　 Home

Rwanda's opposition politicians back plan to lift presidential term limits

Xinhua, July 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

Rwanda's opposition politicians have declared support for amendment to the Constitution allowing President Paul Kagame to run for a third term in office which has been backed by the country's lawmakers.

Rwandan lawmakers who have been consulting citizens on the amendment of the Constitution, met opposition politicians on Thursday under a concultative meeting in Kigali.

Nine out of 11 recognized political parties declared their support for constitutional amendment to lift the seven-year limit of the presidential term. Yet the Democratic Green Party made a stand against the move, while the PS-Imberakuri Party remained indecisive.

Supporters have declared that Kagame deserves to lead the country after 2017 and the Constitution should not be a stumbling block.

"We need Article 101 to be amended because in a democratic society people have powers to choose leaders of their own choice," said Sheikh Musa Fazil Harelimana, Minister of Internal Security.

Francois Ngarambe, secretary general of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front, said political parties have responsibility to respect the voice of the approximately four million Rwandans who have petitioned parliament calling for scrapping of term limits.

However, Dr. Frank Habineza, head of the Democratic Green Party, maintained that the Constitution should not be amended so as to facilitate peaceful transfer of power.

"We petitioned Parliament against the change of Article 101 of the Constitution because we believe Rwanda deserves sustainable peace and security only guaranteed by peaceful transfer of power," Habineza said.

A change of the constitution will now be put to a referendum. Endi