Opposition party registration is impossible in Rwanda said Green Party Boss

The yet to be registered opposition party has disclosed, in a party statement, that registering an opposition party is becoming unbearably impossible in Rwanda.

According to the statement sent to the GLV via email, the party has for the tenth time failed to get the Gasabo district Mayor permission to carry out a founding congress thus register the party.

Great Lakes Voice sources say Democratic Green Party of Rwanda would not be registered at least not later than after Legislators election of September 2013.

Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has been pushing to hold a congress assembly to officially launch a party in vain. Basing on registration difficulties, DGPR boss, Frank Habineza say that it’s evident that registering opposition party is increasingly becoming impossible.

The unregistered party also has been facing difficulties here and there.

Recently, in a separate incident to acquire room in the hotels to hold a meeting, Democratic Green party member intimated to Great Lakes Voice that the ruling party and some individuals in the state offices are making it hard for them to register.

“Every time we get a room, officials from the Ministry of Local government calls hotel owners not to host us claiming we are bad people fighting the government,” the party member who requested to remain anonymous for he doesn’t speak for the party said.

Unverified information from our sources claim RPF senior cadres, local government officials and some security personnel are pushing hard to foil Green Party registration. The mentioned group is believed to be using one, Alex Mugisha, to sabotage the party registration pausing to lead unexciting faction.

The statement also indicate that request for holding party congress was sent on 6, May, 2012 to the district offices as also an official response to the an earlier letter from the Mayor dated 3rdMay. The latter noted that the party had no issues to sort out with its former member Alex Mugisha who resigned from the opposition leadership voluntarily on 2nd 2010.

Frank Habineza, the party founding president insists that Alex Mugisha had resigned and can’t be trusted to rejoin the party and take any high office in the party.

The statement also says Mugisha’s resignation letter was also attached to the letter asking the permission to hold founding congress.

The party adds that on 14th May, the day they were supposed to meet the mayor without the resignee, Mugisha surprisingly promenaded into the leader’s offices. Then the mayor asked them to solve the confusion they are causing.

The other party members asked Mugisha what he really meant and wanted by surprisingly interrupting them at the Mayor’s offices. Mugisha told them that he wanted to be brought back into the party and given a senior post.

The Green Party leadership bluntly told him they had lost trust in him, wouldn’t be possible and not advisable.

“Given, all the details above, it’s evidently becoming clear that registering an opposition party in Rwanda is increasingly becoming more difficult and we take on this opportunity to request the highest authorities of the country to immediately intervene and solve this unnecessary political impasse,” the statement adds.

However, Rwanda’s Justice Minister and attorney General, Tharcisse Karugarama have told Great Lakes Voice, that there’s neither no law nor government policy that prohibits registering opposition political parties in Rwanda.

“I don’t know of any law, government policy that prohibits registration of opposition political parties. I know about the law that gives political parties obligation to register and operate freely in the country,” Karugarama said.

Source:Great Lakes Voice

Press Release : Opposition Party Registration Becoming Impossible in Rwanda

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda wishes to inform the general public and members of the media that, it’s evidently becoming more impossible to have an opposition party get registered in Rwanda.

DGPR’s tenth request was submitted on 6th May 2012 to the Mayor of Gasabo District. It was also an official response to the Mayor’s letter dated 3rd May, where we had clearly stated that, the party had no issues to sort out with Mr.Mugisha Alexis, since he had voluntarily resigned from the party on 2nd July 2010, his resignation letter was also attached. We therefore, requested the Mayor to grant us permission to hold our founding congress on 21st May.

Surprisingly Mr.Mugisha Alexis also submitted in a new request the same day and requested to hold the same congress on 21st May but at a different location.

On 14th May 2013, while we were meeting the mayor at his offices, we were treated to a great surprise when Mr.Mugisha Alexis, majestically entered and then the Mayor requested us to sit down together and solve the confusion we are causing.

This was not part of our plan but we respected the Mayor’s request and later asked Alexis what he wanted and why he chose to do what he was doing yet he knew he that had resigned from the party. He made it clear that he wants to be brought back into the party and hold a senior position than he held before. We explained to him that we have lost all trust in him and that it won’t be possible and thus advised him to start a new party with a different name. He did not accept our proposal and we are not ready to bring him back in the party.

Given, all the details above, it’s evidently becoming clear that registering an opposition party in Rwanda is increasingly becoming more difficult and we take on this opportunity to request the highest authorities of the country to immediately intervene and solve this unnecessary political impasse.

Done at Kigali, 20th May 2013

Dr.Frank Habineza

Founding President