Kagame: A Man of the People?

Published on 16th August 2010

Kagame: A man of the people?        Photo courtesy
At 92.9 percent, the National Electoral Commission’s provisional poll results were definitely putting Paul Kagame’s Rwanda Patriotic Front at victory in the August 9, 2010 polls. Other contenders; PSD, the Liberal party (PL) and PPC were tailing with not more than 3% in total out of the five million Rwandans who are said to have gone to the polls.
 
After announcing Kagame’s provisional 1,610,422 votes from 11 districts, NEC chairman Chrysologue Karangwa ran short of delivering the verdict when he said that not much difference would be made after announcing the results from the remaining districts. The NEC chief’s anxiety levels were shooting up so fast and easily. The man who was once the RPF’s disciplinary committee chief was dropped before the polls to create an impression of an objective character trusted with the pinnacle body that would decide the fate of Rwanda’s political future. 
 
In fact, before the final results could be announced, the RPF Secretariat was busy sending text messages notifying its leadership ring of a victory party at Amahoro National Stadium. The party was motivated by Karangwa’s televised prediction that the preliminary results gave a clear picture of the overall outcome-an absolute RPF victory. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) read between the lines and sent in its “congratulatory” message.It is now no longer speculation that Kagame is set to rule Rwanda for the next seven years.

Was Kagame actually voted back into power?

Whether the RPF victory was a genuine landslide victory is a debate pushing up the barometer of sentiments amongst the masses in Rwanda and political analysts across the globe.

But the facts stand; in most parts of Rwanda’s north and west as Busasamana, Cyanzarwe, Bugeshi Kanzenze and Nyabihu, the ballots were seized by local authorities. The voters were ordered to show up and collect their voting cards at polling stations as early as 4 o'clock in the morning. At the polling station, their voting cards were returned to them with "VOTED." Who voted for these poor souls?

In other areas like Kivumu, Rusizi and Nyabihu, people were woken as early as 1 am, herded to polling stations and forced to vote for RPF. Actually the Kivumu voters remained at the polling station under guard and they started voting at  4 am while at Gitaba, Kabaya polling station, voting was conducted at night with no voting privacy. Observers at this point said NEC officials simply stamped voting cards, returned them to voters and allowed  the voters to return home.

The whereabouts of Mr. Fulgence Ngirabareze of Nyakabuye is still unknown. He was taken into custody by police to an undisclosed location. The crime? He voted for an opposition party-PSD at Baveya local polling station. It was the same cruel treatment for opposition supporters throughout the remote Rusizi district.

“Breach of trust”
 
After the elections, a six-member team of the East African Community delivered its verdict; that the exercise was free and fair. They attended final rallies of RPF and PSD in Gasabo, Nyamirambo and Nyarugenge District in Kigali. They were backed by the Commonwealth Observers Group (COG). The latter cautiously swerved over it’s concerns arguing it “understood the terrible legacy of the past and the consequent caution as the country moved forward.”

A few voices like Amnesty International have maintained a courageous stance by pointing out gross irregularities-of attacks on politicians and journalists. But these independent voices, like in 2003, have been overshadowed by organisations sympathising with Kagame’s regime.

It’s not new for Kagame to compromise institutions and democratic processes to buy him more time in power. In 2003 elections, he banned Mouvement Démocratique Républicain (MDR—Democratic Republican Movement), forcing former MDR Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu to run as an independent. Népomuscène Nayinzira—former leader of the Parti Social Démocrate (PSD—Social Democratic Party) returned from exile to run for office with slim marginal chances while Mukabaramba who did run this time withdrew endorsing Kagame. 

Britain and Sweden funded the electoral commission while the Dutch government froze election funding to Rwanda as a result of the disappearance of five opposition politicians.

The electoral commission turned its back on the incidents and was focused on releasing provisional results, declaring a victory for Kagame with more than 95 per cent. Even when leading European Union (EU) observer Colette Flesch declared that "optimal conditions for free elections were probably not entirely met," only the Dutch acted. Netherlands and Sweden only cut foreign aid to Rwanda in December 2008 after a UN report, which was unfavourable of Kagame’s regime.

The U.S. Ambassador Pierre Prosper’s order to kick out the ICTR prosecutor Carla Del Ponte when she insisted on prosecuting Kagame over the shooting of President Habyarimana’s plane in 1994 is a clear sign the U.S won’t give up on Kagame soon.

Frustrated Rwandans who are now choking with Kagame’s tyranny will fight to the last, clinging onto the support of the Netherlands, Spain, France and the rest of Europe. No matter how much Kagame struggles to buy time, when the European alliances cough, the U.S will catch the cold. That will definitely be a hallmark to ending the chapter of cold blooded military rule in Rwanda. Until that time comes, Rwandans will have to endure the next seven years-of military rule-and ridicule from parachute commentators who, like in any other past and present dictatorial regimes, have successfully exploited countries, capitalising on a wrecked and uncertain leadership.  

By Robert Mukombozi.

The author is an investigative Rwandan journalist exiled in Australia. He is a Masters of Journalism and Mass communication student at Griffith University. He can be reached at [email protected]


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