Members of LIPRODHOR, a local human rights organization, Saturday finally elected new leaders to steer the organization and stem what was earlier acknowledged as a serious leadership vacuum.

This followed a dozen rowdy meetings in the past during which members failed to agree on issues, including the election of a new leadership. 

On Saturday, however, a somewhat composed session ended up electing Jean Pierre Nkurunziza and Innocent Maniraho as President and Vice President respectively. Edith Uwizaniye and Desire Ingabire became Secretary and Treasurer in that order.

In September, members had elected Aime Bernabe Muyizere and Baudouin Kayumba as President and Vice President, respectively. At the time, members could not contain their irritation when, during the search for a Secretary, the number of votes, 97 was higher than the 89 members present.

Commotion ensued partly because, The New Times was then informed, some members of the outgoing committee did not want Kayumba to be part of the new team as he was thought to be open and would dig into the real cause of the organization’s financial woes.

The outgoing LIPRODHOR Executive Committee’s two-year mandate had expired in July.

During the September session, it was revealed that the rights group was, among others, troubled by internal wrangles and debts above Rwf150 million.

As members discussed issues including how best to get out of their unwanted debt situation, in September, outgoing LIPRODHOR President, Aloys Munyangaju, acknowledged that their very bad financial situation which he had also inherited went as far back as 2008.

Among others, the organization owes more than Rwf71 million to employees, Rwf45 million to the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), and more than Rwf11 million to the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), among others.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw