PARLIAMENT has elected the Dean of the School of Law at the University of Rwanda to replace Celestin Kabahizi in representing Rwanda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) .
PARLIAMENT has elected the Dean of the School of Law at the University of Rwanda to replace Celestin Kabahizi in representing Rwanda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) .
Dr Francois Xavier Kalinda garnered 79 votes to beat his rival Pelagie Uwera, who got 12 votes, out of 91 lawmakers of both chambers of Parliament.
Both contestants were fronted by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) for the EALA seat that fell vacant after Kabahizi resigned in June.
Dr Kalinda’s election comes after the National Electoral Commission (NEC), on July 27, asked PSD to present two candidates from whom lawmakers would elect a replacement for Kabahizi.
The party on August 12 gave NEC names of the two candidates.
Dr Kalinda promised to put national interests first, and work hard together with others in EALA, to uplift the bloc.
He said: "I decided to contest because I am willing and I am also able to do a good job. My wish is to give my own contribution given my expertise in research and review of legislation that I could take to EALA and work with others to find solutions for problems in the Community.”
"I also want to work with my colleagues in enacting good laws and uplifting the name of our country and region as well as promoting national interests. I will not disappoint you. I will put the interests of the nation, and the region in general, first.”
Who is Dr Kalinda?
Born in Kitabi Sector, in Nyamagabe District, Kalinda, 53, lives in Huye District with his family of seven.
He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Business Law.
After graduating from the then National University of Rwanda in 1996, he pursued a Master of Law in Intellectual Property Rights at the University of Ottawa, in Canada, completing in 1999.
Dr Kalinda then obtained a PhD from the University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, the second largest university in France, in 2010.
He is currently a lecturer and researcher at the University of Rwanda’s College of Arts and Social Sciences, where he is also a member of the academic senate.
He has 19 years of experience working with the Huye-based campus largely as a lecturer and researcher.
Dr Kalinda assured Parliament that he would diligently take his expertise to EALA in a bid to, together with others, find solutions to the region’s problems.