The RPP opinions and proposals on Rwandan Constitution Reform to Abolish Rwanda’s Presidential Term Limit
After the 1994 genocide of Rwandan Tutsis, Rwanda has recovered and re-joined the list of civilized nations. Rwanda started rebuilding itself and rehabilitated its citizens, who were very badly traumatised. The social, political and economic infrastructures had been virtually destroyed by the FAR and its allied Interahamwe militias. Rwanda as a nation and its people were in crisis when the RPF took over power in July 1994. The main reasons for the Genocide was to force Tutsi out of Rwanda and also to make Rwanda ungovernable, for decades and also to ensure that Rwanda becomes a failed state and where Rwandans would be incarcerated in the IDP concentration camps for another 50 years, sustained by European humanitarian aid. However, despite all the brutality and inhuman actions perpetrated on Rwanda and its people, the perpetrators and their masters failed to achieve their objectives. Rwandans have managed to put behind the sorrow and pains behind them and have moved on to build a free Rwanda for all its children, free from the haemorrhaging of politics of ethnic, hate, extremist, discrimination and sectarian ideology that was a hallmark of the Habyarimana’s regime. Today, for those who didn’t physically witnessed the anguish, despair, and tears of the tragedy of 1994, and those who witnessed these horrors with their own eyes and on TVs and in the world’s newspapers, they may find it difficult to believe that today’s Rwanda is a resurrection of the Rwanda of 1994. Rwanda has been rebuilt and recovered to a once unimaginable scale.
In terms of efficiency in public services management, Rwanda is the 1st in Africa and it ranked 7th among global nations that utilizes their resources efficiently to benefit their citizens, followed by Switzerland (9th) and Luxembourg (10th), according to the WEL, Report 20014-2015 . Rwanda is the only country in Africa that has utilized its resources effectively. The country’s economic prospects are among the top five nations in Africa, along with Botswana, Namibia, Morocco and Algeria. Rwanda has achieved all of this despite being the recipient of foreign aid. Rwanda is ranked among the most progressive African nations despite having no gold, diamonds, coltan, bauxite, silver, nickel, soft fuel and solid fuel to generate income for government spending. Despite the lack of resources, Rwanda has been transformed from the nation of terror that was characterized by the 35 years of infamous policies of ethnic, hate, racism, extremist, discrimination and sectarian which can be summarized by the extent of brutality of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. Today, Rwanda is a leading nation among the community of civilized nations that is offering hope to the world. It has become a symbol and a role model to the world and its unique model of peace and reconciliation is a transferable model to other countries and has become a recognised symbol of reconciliation and peace in the continent and around the globe. Rwanda Military and Police Forces enjoy world-class training and are highly disciplined. In terms of peace keeping, the Rwanda’s contingent of men and women, their peacekeeping experiences and resilience have won them much international praise, wherever they go on peace mission, they leave a footprint wherever they have been and earned the respect of the international community.
For the past 21 years, Rwanda and its people have gone through a remarkable transformation in their lives of the people in all its aspects. In terms of education for all, equal right and opportunity for men and women of all walks of life, health care for all, education for all, millions of Rwandans have been lifted below the poverty line; Rwanda is among the countries that will meet the millennium targets despite our past tragedies. Above all Rwanda is a nation of rule of law. The culture of previous impunity that protected the Rwandan politicians, educated elite, military and police officers has been thrown into the waste basket. As Republican Presidential hopeful Trump put it that “America is a nation of law” when he was asked to comment on Ms Kim Davis, a government official that refused to issue a marriage license to same sex couples. Like the US, Rwanda is also a nation governed by the rule of law and justice for all and its fight against impunity has no boundaries. 12 million Rwandans together have worked as a team to achieve that progress. The twelve million Rwandans that have been living in Rwanda are the Rwanda of today and tomorrow. Together, they have made and still are making the ultimate sacrifice and made the nation what it is today. These twelve million Rwandans ultimately know what they want and know what is best for their country. They are the actual Rwandans that have to make the ultimate decision on their destiny. We believe the world is becoming a dangerous place, if it allows the overturning of critical pillars of democratic process. A referendum or parliamentary debate is the only acceptable democratic means available to resolve political and constitutional disputes whenever they arise. The question of removing a term limit in Rwanda should only be for Rwandans and not made because of a foreign imposed decision. It has nothing to do with foreigners and Rwandans in abroad with foreign citizenship.
The RPP believes in the need for a Constitution reform The RPP believes democracy is about people power. Nothing should be allowed to limit their democratic rights and the dignity of the resilient people of Rwanda should they wish to determine their own destiny. To this extent, the RPP will equivocally, support the referendum outcome of the Rwandan people, and recognises that the men and women of this unique and extraordinary nation of ours have the sole and ultimate right, to make the important decision on term limits. The Rwandan people have achieved so much together in the past 21 years. They are the ones who have been sharing the times of joys and pain that this beautiful country of ours has been going through for the past two decades. They are the ultimate source of power in Rwanda yet the future of their country doesn’t lay in their hands, rather it could be decided by foreigners or the Rwandans that live comfortably in western capitals, the majority of whom have foreign nationalities. The RPP will never support any one that seeks to impose himself on the people of Rwanda by means of force or undemocratic means. The RPP will also accept and work with any Rwandan chosen as a candidate in the 2017 elections even if they decide to nominate the First Lady as a presidential candidate. The RPP will strongly support any political change within the framework of the constitution. The RPP calls on the law makers in Rwanda to enact political and electoral reform. The RPP calls upon law makers to limit the president’s mandate to five years instead of seven years. To enact the constitution electoral reform that allows popular vote methods, and one man-one-vote. This will help to produce competent lawmakers that are loyal and accountable to the electorates rather than accountable and loyal to the respective political party leaders. The RPP also calls for the amendment of the electoral reform to allow the presidential and parliamentary elections so they are held on the same day. This will help to eliminate electoral unfairness and will help to avoid the party in power influencing the outcome of the elections if they are held on separate dates. The RPP further calls upon the law makers to repeal the law that forbids external political fundraising. The current law disadvantages opposition political parties, that have no access to significant resources like the ruling RPF. In addition the RPP demands the electoral commission be neutral and independent. The Parliament should also enact electoral reforms that prevent the winning party from taking an oath, wherever an election disputes arises.
Freedom of express and human rights
Having stated all these achievements. Rwanda still has a long way to go in terms of democratic practices and processes. Given our past history Rwanda could still be prone to repeat its past history if it allows the rise of the politics of ethnic, racism, hate, sectarian and extremist ideology in our political system. There is a need for boundaries and politics that can lead to the violence of the past cannot be tolerated in our country. This is the case of European and North America countries. There is no place in Rwandan Society, for a Jihad John, no place for “Je sue Charlie, neither September 11 propaganda, no place for race and sex discrimination, no place for incitement of religious hatred nor any sort extremist views, in the name of Freedom of Speech and Association. Equally, we believe in respect for victims of the genocide and freedom of speech must not be used to offend them. The RPP believes that the PK is not the main problem of Rwanda, rather it is Rwandans. Everybody has a stake in what took place or is taking place in Rwanda. To believe that the PK is responsible for all the crimes perpetrated on our people and country has no merit. This is shared by all Rwandans. It is hardly believable that they are Rwandans that want to judge others when they too do not want to be judged. Some of them don’t want to take accountability for the most horrific crimes and atrocities they committed against our people. Some of them are still condoning the impunity and murders of the past. Even if the opposition is opposed to the PK, that doesn’t preclude justice been given to the victims of genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated against their fellow Rwandans.
Western Hypocrisy on Africa
I welcome the visit of President Obama to his native country Kenya and to the 63rd yearly meeting of African the Union in Ethiopia. At the same time, the RPP was disappointed that President Obama speeches did not address the fundamental issues that affect Africa for the past 400 years. These are unresolved issues related to 400 years of slavery and the rape of our women and girls and especially the issue of compensation. Other victims are being compensated; Jews were compensated for properties stolen by Europeans and Western banks. The Mau Mau veterans in Kenya were compensated by the UK for crimes committed to them that included beatings, rape and castration. The innocent victims of clerical sexual abuse in Europe and North America are compensated but nothing to Africa, yet we suffered the most gruesome brutality and abuses. What about Africa that was exploited and raped for 400 years? President Obama avoided the issue of $60 billion annually looted from Africa by western governments and their multi-national corporations, issues of illicit trade, tax evasion and plundering of mineral resources, the question of writing-off of Africa debts, and renegotiating of the $21 billion a year in payments to service African debts. The questions regarding Africa’s continued impoverished and the destruction of African industries, agriculture and employment through western imposed plans such as Privatisation and Globalizations.
It is quite difficult to measure and understand the callous and selfish actions of African leaders and the Educated Elite, in the joint criminal enterprises with foreign multinational corporations, to rob Africa of more than $60 billion per year, money that were intended to alleviate poverty, and improve the Continent’s social fabric (i.e. health care, education, communication infrastructures, agriculture etc), instead, they divert donated monies for their personal self-services to buy executive mansions in Europe and North America knowingly that they will never sleep-in with their families. It is also hard to comprehend how they can bank these looted monies in the Western banks knowingly too well that they will not have access to these funds once there is a change of” Guard” in their native country. Usually, the West supports violent change of “Guards” on the Continent as a strategy for diverting attention away from the Continent’s discontent at the western-multi-corporation joint-criminal enterprises with the “old Guard”. This is how they have controlled Africa psychologically and destroyed it mentally.
The catastrophic human trafficking, financial exploitation and sexual slavery where mainly African young women and girls who are exported to Europe and the Gulf region and where the majority of them have lost their lives to modern day slavers. The questions of civil wars and the refugees’ crisis that sees people flocking to Europe as a result of the civil wars, often caused by western interference. There is no doubt to believe, that the President, himself being a son of Africa, clearly understands the pain and tears wrapped up in the -400 years of slavery and colonisations, African dependency on foreign aid, and globalisation and their impact on Africa and its peoples. Colonialism has been replaced by neo-colonialism in form of globalisation. And Africans are still being exploited by their old colonisers. Foreign aid is mistakenly seen as helping African but in fact it is part of a systematic exploitation of Africa and is keeping its people in a form of dependency and destitution.
Fellow Africans, let us sincerely and frankly admit to one another that; what separates us from the West, is that which also separates the slave from the master, the oppressor from the oppressed, that is nothing more or less than the fact that we are not economically liberated and therefore lack independence. This is why we are regarded as inferior by the West. The reason for this is our continent’s ultimate dependence of foreign aid, which leaves us dependent upon foreigners and unable to achieve true economic liberation. This subject of African economic emancipation is what the RPP had expected to be the main issue in President Obama's keynote speeches in Kenya and at the 63rd yearly meeting of African the Union in Ethiopia. We challenges the West; if you really interested in helping developing Africa, we appeal to you to write of our debts, and compensate us for slavery and colonisations. We also call upon you to end the globalisation plan that is being imposed on Africa. The RPP believes the latter are the chief obstacles to African social, economic and political development rather a removal of term limits.
The RPP believes the President Obama’s response that he doesn’t “know why African leaders seek extended term limits” as unnecessary. We believe it was for public consumption and he is being dishonest. President Obama knows well that European leaders don’t have term limits. Can he ask the same question to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Would someone dictate that to the UK Prime Minister David Cameron? Can anyone tell that to Francois Hollande of France? Would any Western leader deliver the same speech delivered at the 63rd yearly meeting of African the Union in Ethiopia, to the gathering of the EU leaders at the EU Head Quarter in Brussels-Belgium or to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, France? The Fundamental question here is: Why then on earth are African leaders are being told when they should leave office, yet none has asked their fellow European, Canadian and Australian leaders who have no term limits to do so? It’s also quite intriguing to understand why some western leaders with no term limits would wish to direct their African counterparts to have term limits. The hypocrisy of western powers is similar to that in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’? “All Animal are Equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. By imposing term limits on African leaders, the west are proclaiming that all presidential terms as equal, but some are more equal than others. It is also the same question that contemptuous and arrogant western journalists pose to African leaders. These journalist tend to embarrass African leaders by asking them when they will leave office, and yet they have never asked their own heads of states when they will leave office themselves. The answer is simple and obvious. Africa is in receipt of foreign aid. It is this aid that had become the noose that is strangling our destiny. It is this aid that has restricted the African ability for the right to determine what is right or wrong for us. These western and irresponsible journalists are trying to portray to the misguided and brainwashed Continent’s politicians, “Educated Elite” and the world that lifting a term limits is the main problem for Africa, rather than looking at the exploitation of Africa resources by western governments and their corporations. Many of Africa’s politicians and Educated Elite don’t realise that whoever controls you economically, governs your livelihood.
The RPP believes that African leaders should be allowed to be voted in or out office like their counter European parts, on the grounds of their ability to perform or failures to deliver as in Europe and elsewhere. To this extent, the RPP re-affirms its position that, a referendum or parliament voting is the only acceptable democratic resolution to resolve political and constitutional disputes whenever arises. The question of removing a presidential term limit in Rwanda or elsewhere on the Continent should be the subject of a democratic decision by the indigenous peoples rather than as a result of a foreign imposed decision.
Why Rwanda is in spotlight?
The Rwandan recovery after being devastated genocide and its no-nonsense policy are sending cold shivers down the spines of Western political and business leaders and especially among aid workers (non-governmental organizations) and the so called western experts. This is why they are working around the clock to stop President Paul Kagame’s policy of building or encouraging self-reliance in Africa. A developed Africa means social and economic emancipation from western countries. The non-governmental organizations had it in mind that Rwanda will become a failed state where Rwandans will remain in camps indefinitely as recipients of foreign aid and under their control. In short these non-governmental organisations would impose a new form of colonialism on the people of Rwanda and to the rest of Africa.
Rwanda is housing tens of hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring countries and beyond, despite the limited resources available to provide for refugees in Rwanda, the refugees have been integrated in the community and those still in camps, their rations have been replaced by hard cash to enable them to take control of their lives, rather than humiliating them with monthly rations and coupons of wheat flour, expired milk powders and biscuits from western countries. Even, the 75000 Burundian refugees, who have recently entered the country, all have access to sanitation, health care, water and their children are now going to school. Yet despite thousands of aid workers in DRC, Darfur, South Sudan, Somali refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, Haiti IDP etc., and refugees there are kept in deployable conditions by aid workers, in a form of captivity for decades for their economic advantage. The success of Rwanda’s policies towards refugees is apparent and clear to the world. The Rwandan ability to foster global peace, in particular bringing sanity to the CAR and elsewhere is not recognized or praised by many, because they are people who don’t want peace and tranquillity in those countries. Rwanda’s revival from the ashes of a failed state to become once again a member of the community of civilized nation is also a threat to some members of the international community. They fear that the successful stories of Rwanda would actually encourage other African countries to rethink their policies and become independent of western domination.
Rwanda is not aiming to become an African version of Singapore
It is unhelpful that misinformed people are trying to compare Rwanda and Singapore, or Canada, UK and Scandinavian countries, knowing that these countries are not in receipt of foreign aid like Rwanda. A country like Singapore has taken over 60 years to build its society and they are still building. Turkey started its journey to economic independence since 1930s while the Scandinavian countries have had over 200 years of stable political and economic stability. Though a country like Sweden was as poor as Rwanda is today in the 1960s. However, it has used its financial resources effectively to a point that Rwanda is well organized and provides efficient integrated services almost equal or even more efficiently than some developed countries. For example, getting an ID in Sweden takes about four weeks while in Rwanda it takes less than two weeks to get the same Electronic Microchip Identity Card. Registering a business in Sweden takes months, while in Rwanda takes less than 72 hours depending on the type of business. I think these should be applauded by every member of the opposition regardless our political difference.
In terms of economic and social development Rwanda is not aiming to become an African version of Singapore, but Rwandans aims to build their beloved homeland so that it could follow the path of other economic powerful countries including Singapore in the next 30 years. 21 years after genocide and the misrule of Habyarimana, Rwandan economic and social liberation has made unimaginable progress. Rwanda attracts more foreign investors than any country in the region. We, Rwandans can achieve our goals because we are focused. We have been inspired by many countries like Singapore, Turkey, Taiwan, German, Japan, Vietnam etc. History, tells us that like Rwanda, some of these countries were resurrected from the ruin of civil wars and unimaginable horrors to become the nations they are today. Rwanda is positioning itself in the years ahead, to be among the list of these countries. Rwanda cannot in one day, reach its destination, but it is certainly going in the right direction.
With regard to the economy’s prospect, The RPP believes Rwanda is aiming to work towards economic independence. Economic independence is the key to social and political transformation. There can never be economic, social and political development on the basis of dependence on foreign aid. Despite the restraints, Rwanda is working hard toward to achieve those goals. The global markets have a high level of confidence in the country; Rwanda is the only country in Africa that is able to collateralize its debt on the international market and this is important if the country is to become economically independent.
Problems of Africa-politics
Africa has politicians and journalist and an educated elite etc. that tend to blindly follow foreigners. Our politicians and educate elite prefer to rely upon foreigners rather than local sources that have witnessed the reality and therefore make the wrong decisions. Some of these westernised elites may prefer calls for African leaders to go just because foreigners have said so. Some of these politicians have been in opposition all their lifetimes. Some have been defeated in elections many times but have refused to acknowledge the reason they lost elections. In a healthy democracy, when a party is defeated in general elections, the party leader takes a responsibility and resign from his leadership to allow a new leader to lead the party successfully in next general elections. This is not the case, in African democracy. Instead of resigning from their posts, they call on their opponents and other African leaders to step down as a strategy to distract attention away from their own failures. In fact some of these politicians are not so different from those they want executed or arrested by the ICC, and they are no better than those they condemn.
In Africa we have also have politicians who tend to use foreign powers as a short cut to power. We have Africans who believe that their opponents should be subjected to the disgraceful western ICC court. In a healthy democracy, opposition parties and government should come together in matters of national interest. They work together to safe guide the achievement of the party in power. This is not the case, in Africa. Opposition parties tend to be only interested to criticize the government for the sake of it without offering a solution. Some have even embarked on a mission to destroy the achievement of the pervious regimes or to foment violence against their own people. Indeed, they even lobby their western masters to impose economic sanctions and blockades on their own people, so that they can claim to be the champion of defenders of their rights. African politics is so greedy and dirty at every point that every party leader wants to be the head of state, even when his / her party has no grassroots or popular support. African politicians have a narrow vision, that in order to make a contribution to your country and people, that you must be, head of state. This is the tragedy of African politics.
Despite the end of colonialism, Africa faces many problems. There are still wars, corruption and disease. The countries of the Continent have problems with poverty and poor education systems. Africa has poor communications and infrastructure. The continent remains the poorest and least developed. Furthermore, the countries of Africa have still have not introduced equality for women and promoted those policies that allow women to develop economically and socially and to fully participate in society. These problems remain because of the policies of western governments and corporations, which have exploited Africa, economically and politically. Africans need to recognise that they need to become economically independent to enable them to develop their societies. Africa suffered centuries of slavery and 100 years of colonial exploitation because we are very tolerant people. African politicians and educated elite, by their tolerance has helped our enemies, for the colonizers have fully studied us psychologically and capitalized on our tolerance, which they take to be a weakness to destroy our destiny. The huge problem we face is a form of mental slavery amongst millions of our African people who, because of their tolerance have accepted exploitation of Africa and Africans as a way of life and those who advance the interests of the western neo-colonialism. Africans are more tolerant than other nations and westerners and others use it to keep exploiting us. However, having said that, a sense of insecurity and lack of confidence to stand for our rights, have made us the co-authors of our own destruction. Because of this, we are also partly responsible for our Continent’s unabated miseries.
Africa has also been subjected to negative publicity as a way of distracting its people from the destruction and looting of African by western governments and their corporations. For Africa is portrayed as a corrupt and impoverished, where people are dying hunger, HIV, Ebola etc. Yet “Marburg (Ebola) virus was first described in 1967. It was noticed during small outbreaks in the German cities Marburg and Frankfurt, the Yugoslav capital Belgrade in the 1960s”. During these outbreaks, 31 people became infected and seven of them died in Germany. All the negative reporting in the western media are aimed at justifying the brutality of exploitation perpetrated on Africa. African has consented to the negative portrayals.
Our leaders are turning a blind eye to Africa being exploited by the old colonizers to secure economic aid. Globalizations for multi-nationals allows them to take over African national industries and to control our economies thus destroying the remaining few African industries. This is a form of slavery and colonisation because; he who controls the economy controls your destiny. The RPP believes that the western powers by trying to impose a term limit on Africa’s presidents they are imposing another doomed model on Africa. In a way similar to the infamous Privatisation and Globalisation models that have kept Africans in abject poverty and left African societies in a near state of collapse. Africa must reject this and create its own political models.
Africa doesn’t need more puppet leaders. Africa needs economic liberation for its children’s future. There can never be a truly free and sovereign African state without economic Independence. Any sovereign nation premised on the foundation of foreign aid is doomed to failure and make its people miserably. Indeed, the RPP can compare such a nation to a man or woman claiming the legitimate rights of ownership on married man/woman. In the long term, they are both doomed to suffer psychotic stress, disorders and others syndromes. This is what Africa has been enduring since our independence. The Continent hasn’t been only plundered economically, but it has also been plundered of its human talent. Africa tops the list of all popular sports (football and Athletics). But our talented men and women are only entertaining the West. With no hope that the Continent will be allowed to host these games so that the Continent could display its talented daughters and sons. This is not possible because of poverty. This can be evidenced when Kenya with its limited resources dominated the 15th IAAF Word Championships - Beijing 2015, even though the Kenyan’s victory was abruptly overturned by Donald Trump the US Presidential candidate in favour of his country.
The main African problems are: foreign imposed democracy without due regards to African culture and society. Privatisation – that resulted in the selling of African industries to foreign companies, as a result many African people were made unemployed. Western imposed globalisation- that destroyed African manufacturing, agriculture, and local employment in favour of multinational corporations. Foreign aid has corrupted the minds and souls of our leaders to become dependent on western foreign aid.
The consequences of exploitations
53 years after it was founded the AU formerly (OAU) dreams are in tatters. The AU has turned its headquarters into a social meeting place, where African heads of states would meet regularly for group photographs after passing resolutions that will never be implemented because of lack of money and political will. The African ‘Excellencies’ have failed to resolve internal conflicts within the “Continent”. They looked on, during the Rwandan genocide against Tutsi, the destruction of Somalia, and failed bids to end civil wars in West and North Africa. But more shockingly they idly watched when a true son of Africa Muamad Ghadaffi was cowardly and callously surrounded by heartless Vultures and Hyenas that eventually tore, his already terrified body into pieces. The AU failure to save Ghaddaffi’s life and prevent Libya from turning into a vast grave yard was a direct result of their dependency on foreign aid. The AU has been established for 53 years and the dreams of a united Africa remain unfulfilled. This is not possible when the AU members’ states are stilling battling with the legacy of colonialism and issues like poverty and underdevelopment. Meanwhile many of the Muslim and Arab nations in the North do not consider themselves African and are ignoring their native Africans populations and the rest of the Continent.
The world system is in crisis. This was only to be expected as it was an unjust and unfair system. We can see this in the growing conflicts around the world and especially with the rise of Jihadist. The only hope left is to give people the opportunities to develop economically, socially and spiritually. This will ensure that despair does not result in the victory of the fanatics and war becomes the norm around the world.
The impact of Foreign Aid
According the Guardian Jul 15, 2014, the western countries are using aid to Africa to hide the "sustained looting" of the continent as it loses nearly $60bn a year through tax evasion, and repatriation of profits. Today, they are taking more out of the continent under the old colonial system! Between $1.2 trillion and $1.4 trillion has left Africa in illicit financial flows between 1980 and 2009—roughly equal to Africa’s current GDP and greater than the aid it receives from its western ‘benefactors’. Although sub-Saharan Africa receives $134bn each year in loans, foreign investment and development aid suggests that $192bn leaves the region, leaving a $58bn deficit and this means that there is less to spend on African development. Western countries send about $30bn in development aid to Africa, every year; more than six times that amount leaves the continent. In deed “Africa is haemorrhaging billions of dollars because multinational companies are cheating African governments out of vital revenues by not paying their fair share in taxes. If this tax revenue were invested in education and healthcare, societies and economies would further flourish across the continent. ‘’Illicit money outflows are draining Africa’s domestic resources, depriving it of crucial investment funds’’. Winie Byanyima, Head of Oxfam International Executive Director. Globalisation takes away African nations freedom. They are no longer in control of their economy and can’t develop and are often under the control of banks, corporations and foreign western governments. Globalisation is turning into a new form of neo-colonisation. That is because it is once again making Africans dependent upon foreigners for their goods and livelihoods. The problems of Africa are a direct result of its abject poverty, which is caused by corrupt western corporations, forced privatization and globalization. African problems have nothing to do with presidential term limits. The question of the removal of presidential terms limit is distracting Africans attention away from the real issues such as poverty, war, corruption and disease that are afflicting Africa as a whole.
Conclusion
The western media and those who follow slavishly its views and reports believe that the extension of presidential terms is the greatest challenge facing the Continent. It is an issue that has been fabricated by the western, especially western media. Africa’s opposition politicians and educated elite have foolishly followed the western media. They are out of touch with the demand of ordinary Africans and the reality. In truth the real problems facing the Continent is poverty, disease, corruption and war. These are often the direct result of the interference and systematic exploitation of African countries by western nations. Globalisation is also making many Africans poorer and leading to a lack of development. Indeed the process of globalisation could be said to be a new form system of exploitation. The RPP recognises that the issue of presidential life terms is important and it should be discussed in a democratic and responsible way but it should not distract us from facing up to Africa’s main challenges, which are many and serious. However, it should not be placed at the top of the political agenda. There are more important things for Africans. The RPP believes that African politicians and its educated elites are largely responsible for the continued miseries of our continent, as a result of our lack of self-esteem and the self-confidence, needed to stand on our feet in defence of the legitimate rights of Africa. Africa needs to work together to alleviate the sufferings of Africans who are suffering because of poverty, wars and injustice. The RPP believes the only hope left is to give the people the opportunities to develop economically, socially, culturally and spiritually. This will ensure that despair does not result in a world that is torn apart by senseless wars.
My Fellow Africans, let me conclude by urging us to see clearly that which keeps us poor and dependent is nothing less or more than the fact that we are not economically free even though the colonizers are gone. There can never be a truly free and sovereign African state without economic Independence. Any sovereign nation dependent on foreign aid is doomed to failure miserably and will never fully develop. Africa needs Economic Liberation not Economic Aid.
Thank you!
John V Karuranga, President
Rwanda People’s Party
www.rwandapeopleparty.org
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