SAN FRANCISCO, January 03, (THEWILL) – The United States has released a statement saying it is deeply disappointed that President Paul
Kagame of Rwanda has announced his intention to run for a third term in office.
The statement, released by John Kirby, Spokesperson, US Department of State, called on the Government of Rwanda to respect the wishes of the people and solidify democracy in the country.
“We are deeply disappointed that President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has announced his intention to run for a third term in office”, the statement read in part.
“President Kagame ignores an historic opportunity to reinforce and solidify the democratic institutions the Rwandan people have for more than twenty years laboured so hard to establish.
“The United States believes constitutional transitions of power are essential for strong democracies and that efforts by incumbents to change rules to stay in power weaken democratic institutions.
“We are particularly concerned by changes that favour one individual over the principle of democratic transitions.
“As Rwanda moves toward local elections this year, presidential elections next year, and parliamentary elections in 2018, we call upon the Government of Rwanda to ensure and respect the rights of its citizens to exercise their freedom of expression, conscience, and peaceful assembly — the hallmarks of true democracies.
“The United States remains committed to supporting the free and full participation of the Rwandan people in the electoral processes ahead.”
President Kagame recently sponsored a constitutional change in Rwanda which now allows him to run for a third term in office despite the unfolding of political upheaval in neighbouring Burundi over the same third term crisis.
At least 200 people have died and tens of thousands have left Burundi after months of violence and protests since President Pierre Nkurunziza declared he would seek a third term in office, which he then won in a contested vote in July.
Mr. Nkurunziza, a former Hutu rebel leader, became Burundi’s first democratically elected president after its civil war, but is now reluctant to leave power just like Kagame.
