One dies as Kagame campaigns for 4th term
Officials in Rubavu district have confirmed death of one person and several dozens others injured in a crush at an election rally for Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
The official campaigns for July General elections started on Saturday Jun 22. The flag bearer for the Rwandan Patriotic Front who is also the incumbent president, Paul Kagame held two rallies in the northern part of the country during the weekend.
On Sunday June 23 in Rubavu district, 37 people were injured. Four of those were hospitalised with severe injuries. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Local Government.
Kagame who is running for a fourth term has been Rwanda’s de facto leader since 1994. After capturing power, his then rebel group, Rwanda Patriotic Front fronted Pasteur Bizimungu as their president and Kagame as his deputy until the year 2000. Bizimungu resigned his ‘ceremonial’ position and eventually ‘the power wielding’ Kagame was elected president by parliament. They took the reigns after seizing power at the end of a genocide which claimed lives of over 800000 people in one hundred days.
The 66-year-old president has been criticised by civil rights groups for cracking whips on the opposition but he has not minced his words while defending Rwanda’s record on human rights, saying his country respects political freedoms.
In the last presidential elections which were held in 2017, the incumbent won with nearly 99% of the votes cast defeating the same people he has in the race for the July 15 polls.
Sunday’s occurrences compelled the Ministry of Local Government to remind all those participating in the campaign activities to follow guidelines handed down to ensure safety of those taking part in the process.
Rwandan Patriotic Front expressed their grief and extended condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged to closely watch over those injured in the stampede.
Paul Kagame will face off with two other candidates in the race to become Rwanda’s president.The two are Frank Habineza of Democratic Green Party and the independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana.
Diane Rwigara, a beknown critic of the reigning president was denied chance to contest in the forthcoming presidential elections on what observers and analysts called “politically cooked up charges” but the electoral commission came out to say that Rwigara failed to avail correct documentation as proof that she did not have any criminal record. The electoral body further said that she had failed to show that she had enough support throughout the country to stand for the country’s biggest seat.
However, Rwigara who was also denied chance to participate in the 2017 polls, did not agree with the reasons that were being fronted against her intentions to serve the country alledging that she had been cheated out of her right to campaign.
On July 15,Rwandans will be going to polls to choose their next president and legislators. Observers say that Mr.Kagame is in a pole position to scoop victory in next month’s polls.
