President Paul Kagame has said that he is not interested in a third term and
that he will do what the constitution says or what the Rwandan people will
decide in the interest of continued progress and stability in the country
after 2017.
The debate on whether the President will again run for office has been rife
within and out of Rwanda alike, drawing lots of speculation.
Addressing a news conference at Village Urugwiro yesterday, Kagame explained
that his priority is to ensure the wellbeing of the citizens considering
Rwanda's complex history.
"I am thinking about the future of this country, I am not thinking about
third term." Kagame said, adding that he has been asked over and again about
third term, and whatever response he gives, the same question keeps coming.
"If there is trust that I will do what I have said I will do relating to
what is there, meaning the Constitution and so on and so forth, why then
would people continue asking this question? Why don't people just keep the
trust and wait?" he said.
The President urged mostly journalists and other political analysts to stop
trivializing the issue of third term because it creates confusion among
citizens who get lost in the debate of whether the president is leaving or
staying instead of focusing on building their country.
However, the President noted that even if he isn't interested in another
term in office, he still leaves it to the Rwandan people to choose what they
want for a better future of their country.
"This debate is welcome, let's go on for as long as we want with it but at
the end of the day let's remember that it is Rwandans who have to decide,"
he told the reporters.
During recent citizen outreach programmes, Rwandans especially in rural
arears gave testimonies of how their lives have improved remarkably and
openly pleaded with the President to continue leading the country after 2017
so that their progress is maintained.
Earlier this month, the President tasked senior cadres of his ruling Rwanda
Patriotic Front to come up with a formula that would deliver the change
entailed in the constitution while ensuring the continuity with the progress
the country has registered as well as guarantee stability.
Opposition welcome to Rwanda
Meanwhile, the President has welcomed members of opposition groups who might
want to come back home and operate from Rwanda
"They are welcome in any form or shape," President Kagame said as he reacted
to a journalist's question on whether he would like to see more opposition
parties registered ahead of parliamentary elections this year. "I even
always wonder why they have to live outside. They need to come and live here
and face the challenges that other Rwandans face."
He, however, added that having numerous opposition parties is no sign of
democracy as there are countries with many parties and no democracy, yet
those that advocate for more opposition have only a couple of parties.
The President took questions on a wide range of issues ranging from sharing
Rwanda best practices in areas such as forestry to International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) archives which he emphasized are a part of the
country's history and should be kept in Rwanda.
Rwanda has faced resistance in the quest to host the archives. This has
happened amidst reluctance to bring to justice Genocide perpetrators. Of
recent there have been cases of masterminds being released.
The President observed that the same way there are forces that will not tire
to do wrong against Rwanda or its people, is the same way those doing right
should keep doing so.
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Received on Thu Feb 28 2013 - 17:37:08 EST
