KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda’s president declared he’ll run for a fourth time period subsequent yr, saying that “what the West thinks is just not my downside,” after america and others criticized the previous lifting of time period limits to increase his rule.
President Paul Kagame made the announcement in an interview with the French-language publication Jeune Afrique revealed Tuesday.
The 65-year-old Kagame has been president since 2000 and was declared the winner of the earlier election in 2017 with greater than 98% of the vote. He has been the de facto chief since Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
He’s one in all quite a few African leaders who’ve extended their rule by pursuing modifications to time period limits. In 2015, Rwandans in a referendum voted to raise the two-term restrict. Kagame might keep in energy till 2034 if he wins a five-year time period subsequent yr after which one other.
He was re-elected as chair of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Entrance celebration earlier this yr for an additional five-year time period.
Rwanda is “not free,” in accordance with the U.S.-based watchdog Freedom Home, whose newest report notes that the ruling celebration has been in energy with out interruption since 1994, “banning and repressing any opposition group that would mount a critical problem to its management.”
Kagame and his authorities have acquired reward for stabilizing the nation and creating public well being and the financial system for the reason that genocide during which greater than 800,000 folks had been killed. However human rights teams and different critics have lengthy alleged that the federal government harshly targets opponents, together with with extrajudicial killings even far outdoors the nation’s borders.
The federal government has objected to and dismissed such allegations. However earlier this yr, beneath diplomatic stress, Rwanda launched the opposition exile who had impressed the movie “Resort Rwanda” after tricking Paul Rusesabagina onto a aircraft to the nation and convicting him of terror offenses in a extensively criticized trial.
The opposite candidate who has declared to run for president is lawmaker Frank Habineza with the Inexperienced Democratic celebration, who acquired 0.45% of votes in 2017.
Habineza advised The Related Press his celebration was not shocked by Kagame’s announcement, and he mentioned they are going to proceed to battle for democracy.
“As we converse now, there’s a excessive stage of poverty and other people don’t have any meals and youth don’t have any jobs. That is what bothers Rwandans,” he mentioned.
However some Kagame supporters imagine he wants extra time. William Harerimana, a 53-year-old businessman mentioned that “we should be affected person a bit extra and beneath him, the nation will register extra financial progress and profit all Rwandans.”
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Anna reported from Nairobi, Kenya.