{UAH} ANOTHER AFRICAN OPPOSITION SO CALLED IN A CRISIS

Rwanda's Main Opposition Party Considers Giving Up

By Johnson Kanamugire

Rwanda's main opposition party says it is considering quitting politics after it failed to stop the amendment of the Constitution to remove presidential term limits.

This comes as the Senate approved the draft constitutional amendment that was recently debated and voted in by the Chamber of Deputies.

Subject to a referendum, President Paul Kagame could have the freedom to rule until 2034.

The Green Party says its political agenda is being undermined by the ongoing amendments.

"We had earlier planned to run for the presidency, but now the plans are on hold. Approving these amendments is going to lock us out of the political arena," Jean Claude Ntezimana, the party general secretary, told The East-African.

The party had said it was considering other legal means to halt the amendment of the country's Constitution after the Supreme Court dismissed its case challenging the change of laws. These would include making an appeal to President Kagame not to increase presidential term limits.

It had also said it would petition the African Court on Human and People's Rights, as well as the East African Court of

The Green Party also considered conducting a "No Change" campaign nationwide to sensitise Rwandans not to vote for the change.

Although party officials claimed victory regarding the amendment of Article 101 which reduced term durations from seven to five years, they rejected the introduction of Article 172 in the draft constitution.

The article allows President Kagame to continue to serve the term for which he was elected and an additional seven-year term.

 

 

EM

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