UK Conservatives back in Rwanda

CLOSE to 50 members of the ruling British Conservative Party yesterday arrived in Rwanda for the fourth phase of ‘Project Umubano’. Led by Conservative MP and government whip, Stephen Crabb, members who include several MPs are in the country for two weeks, working on a number of projects in the health, education, legal, tourism, community project and private sectors. Crabb has been on the International Development Select Committee and was asked by British Prime Minister, David Cameron and International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell to lead the Project this year. “We’re demonstrating the Conservative Party’s long term commitment to international development, to Rwanda and also to Sierra Leone,” explained Crabb. The UK politician also told The Sunday Times the project in Rwanda was not just something done by the conservatives while they were in the opposition, but the project has to continue in the same way even when the party is in government. The group includes businessmen and volunteers who will be teaching English as a Foreign Language. According to Crabb, volunteers will be divided among the four projects. The education project involves teaching English communication skills to Rwandan national examiners while a number of senior British businessmen will be helping with the private sector project. Businessman Richard Ross, who established Tie Rack in the UK and then started his own business Sock Shop, which floated in the stock market in the late 1980s, will be working at Capital Markets Advisory Council (CMAC). “We’re very pleased that there are a number of legacies from Project Umubano since the Project began in 2007, including a permanent link between the Ministry of Justice in Rwanda and a City law firm in London,” said Crabb. He said that last year’s Project was a great success. Conservative members chose Rwanda in 2007 because it was a country at the right stage of development for Project Umubano to be productive. “Rwanda was also chosen because Rwandans were let down by the International Community in the 1990s and we all have our debts to pay for that,” Crabb added. Alan Sendorek, the Press Officer of the Conservative Party said the party was also expanding the project to Sierra Leone this year with over a dozen volunteers visiting the country. He revealed that Rwanda has exhibited “good governance in terms of doing a better job in ensuring that money received from donors is well spent.” He explained that his team will conduct the project in conformity with the aims of Project Umubano that include a spirit of friendship and co-operation, focus on projects that have long-term impact, sustainability and ongoing legacy. Last year, the then British Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, and Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield, Andrew Mitchell, had said the British Conservative Party would continue giving budget support to Rwanda if elected into government this year. Last year, over 100 members of the British Conservative Party were in Kigali for two weeks, working on a number of projects in the health, education, legal, tourism and private sectors. Ends