Support for political parties very critical

As the country prepares for the second democratic Presidential elections in history, the Consultative Forum for Political Parties has announced that, on behalf of government, recently disbursed funds to political parties to help them prepare for the forthcoming elections. The funds, part of which were given to the three parties that garnered more than 5 percent in the parliamentary polls that were held two years ago, as stipulated in the constitution, will help in their mobilization campaign to get more votes in the upcoming presidential contest. It so happens that the three that have mainly benefitted from the funds (RPF, PSD and PL) have fielded candidates, who have since been approved by the electoral body, meaning that the financial boost has come in handy. The other support extended to all legally approved political parties in the country, will according to the forum’s Executive Secretary, help them acquire equipment to facilitate in conducting electoral training to their members. As our country continues to grow, from the ashes that it was just 16 years ago, it is imperative that political parties are not left behind, to groom the political systems, inevitably through empowering the active political organizations in the country. The assistance should not be seen, by some cynics, as a way of compromising the political parties, but rather a way of collectively supporting all the systems in the country, as has been the case with other institutions which have received government support. Ours, after all, is an all inclusive consensual political system that Rwandans have chosen. Ends

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Support for political parties very critical