Members of Parliament yesterday met with several envoys accredited to Rwanda, with whom they discussed the rationale of the constitutional amendment process, which has culminated into today’s referendum on the revised Constitution.
Members of Parliament yesterday met with several envoys accredited to Rwanda, with whom they discussed the rationale of the constitutional amendment process, which has culminated into today’s referendum on the revised Constitution.
The meeting, held in the Senate’s plenary hall in Kimihurura, Kigali, saw the diplomats briefed on the whole process leading up to today’s exercise.
Chaired by Senator Mike Rugema, the meeting was attended by Senator Tito Rutaremara as well as MPs Francois Byabarumwanzi and Juliana Kantengwa.
About 20 envoys turned up for the meeting.
Rugema noted that the constitutional review was based on the wishes of the people of Rwanda, a desire some of them had made known to legislators as early as 2010.
He explained that the first public petition for constitutional review –specifically on Article 101 of the current Constitution that limits presidential terms to two seven-year terms – came up a few years back although popular demand gained momentum early this year.
"All along we had been receiving requests and petitions during our country field visits, but the momentum really picked up this year.”
"In July 2015, the two chambers of Parliament put together the petitions received and realised that we had received 3.7 million petitions. As representatives of the people, we thought we had no choice other than respect the wishes of the people,” he told the diplomats.
He stressed that the petitioners represented majority of voters since currently, the voters’ roll has 6.4 million Rwandans.
With close to four million petitions, he added, we thought the petitioners had a strong case and deserved to be heard.
Rugema explained how lawmakers eventually traversed all the 216 sectors of the country for 11 days seeking more views, particularly with view to hearing from those who had not petitioned parliament.
"We analyzed the petitions and our findings from countrywide consultations, and reached a conclusion to amend the Constitution. We observed all the legal procedures throughout the process”.
MP Kantengwa informed the diplomats that the constitutional review process was done with the help of a competent team of legal experts to keep sentiments at bay.
The legislators reiterated that public petitions demanding the constitutional amendment to allow President Paul Kagame a chance to seek re-election come 2017 were based on the President’s exceptional performance record over the years, to which Rwandans credited the country’s resurgence.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Rwanda, Michael Ryan, said he understood the people’s basis to demand that the Constitution be revised to allow them to keep President Kagame in office.
But some envoys wondered whether the timeframe it took for the whole process to be conducted was enough to allow everyone to fully participate.
U.S. envoy to Rwanda Erica Barks-Ruggles as well as her Dutch counterpart, Frédérique de Man, and Amb. Ryan, also wondered whether there was enough time for referendum campaigns.
Sen. Rutaremara informed the envoys that Rwandans were fully aware of what they were doing, which is why a good number of them took the initiative to seek constitutional amendment.
"We don’t know how long would have been enough; the debate has been on for at least three years or so,” he said. "Those against constitutional review had equal rights as those who advocated for amendment during all this time.”
About 6.4 million voters are expected to take part in today’s referendum while an estimated 40,000 Rwandans in the Diaspora cast their votes yesterday.
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