IGIHE

Category: Politics

  • Does 30% Women Quota Discriminate Men? Proposal In Parliament To Scrap It

    Does 30% Women Quota Discriminate Men? Proposal In Parliament To Scrap It

    Opposition lawmaker Jean Pierre Hindura says 30% for women discriminates against men
    Rwanda has since 2003 had a constitution that sets a 30% minimum quota for women representation across all leadership levels. But if proposals put before parliament on Wednesday is anything to go by, Rwandan men are worried women could take over governance of the country if no curbs are put in place now.

    A lawmaker told a session of the Lower Chamber of the House on Wednesday morning that the quota creates a negative precedence for “our children in the future”.

    The House was holding the final hearing of the constitutional amendments introduced earlier this month following a national consultative drive by MPs.

    Opposition lawmaker Jean Pierre Hindura from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) said Article 77 stipulating the women quota should apply to both men and women.

    “I am concerned that this article is discriminating against men,” said Hindura amid lengthy laughter, indication of the surprise with which the proposal had been received.

    “If we continue like this, and eventually women end up with 100% control over everything – shall we still feel OK with the situation? We should not solve problems influenced by how we feel every morning. We should rather frame our laws considering what could happen in the long term.”

    He added, “If we are to give minimum 30% quota, let it be for women as well as men.”

    UwimanimpayeJeanne d’Arc, the Lower chamber vice president and part of the bureau commission which worked on the amendment proposals came to a swift defense of the 30% minimum quota.

    “We are talking about an international convention, not a Rwandan exception,” she said, as MPs continued to laugh. The reaction of the House suggests even when one of their own had to raise such a proposal; it cannot see the light of day.

    Uwimanimpaye said that the House should not only look at the parliament where women have 64% representation.

    She said, “How many women are on the boards of banks? How many in private enterprises? We should look beyond the Parliament. We find that the constitutional quota is what Rwanda must have.”

    More than 100 articles in the 2003 constitution are up for amendment, including Article 101 on presidential terms. This particular amendment will be decided on this Wednesday afternoon.

    KT PRESS

  • Over 90% vote to allow Congo leader’s bid to extend rule

    Over 90% vote to allow Congo leader’s bid to extend rule

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    More than 90 percent of people voting in a controversial referendum in the Republic of Congo approved a bid by President Denis Sassou Nguesso to extend his 31-year stay in office, according to official results announced on Tuesday.

    A total of 92.96 percent of voters approved the constitutional change, which has now been adopted, Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou said.

    Official results showed turnout was high at 72.44 percent, though on Monday opposition leader Pascal Tsaty Mabiala had said only 10 percent of Congolese voted.

    According to reports by several AFP journalists in the capital Brazzaville, second city Pointe-Noire and several other areas of the central African country, people largely avoided voting offices.

    There were however long queues of voters near the presidential palace where Sassou Nguesso, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, cast his own ballot.

    The referendum proposed two changes to the constitution, which currently disqualifies Sassou Nguesso from running for re-election in 2016 because it stipulates a maximum age of 70 for presidential candidates and limits the number of mandates to two.

    Sassou Nguesso is over the age limit and has already served two consecutive seven-year terms.

    Daily Monitor

  • Kenya Council of Governors caution government on layoffs

    Kenya Council of Governors caution government on layoffs

    Council of Governors Chairman Peter Munya (centre) addressing journalists at the Enashipai Resort and Spa in Naivasha on October 23, 2015.
    Governors have expressed reservations in the planned retrenchment of public servants and have asked the government to look for other ways of rationalisation.

    “Although we agree The Capacity Assessment and Rationalisation of Public Service Programme (CARPS) is noble, we are of the opinion that a number of factors needs to be addressed before the report can be adopted,” said CoG Chairman Peter Munya.

    He blamed the bloated workforce in the civil service to the duplication of duties at the two levels of government.

    Speaking in Naivasha on Friday, Mr Munya said the management of the wage bill was dependent on the restructuring of the national government ministries, departments and agencies.

    “The bloated workforce being witnessed is exacerbated by the fact that even though functions like agriculture, health and water have been devolved, we still have duplication of duties,” he said.

    He said ministries continue to hire staff to perform the same tasks that are constitutionally assigned to the county governments.

    Mr Munya’s remarks follows a statement by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru that the government will embark on ” staff rationalisation” to tame the wage bill.
    Nearly 40,000 civil servants will lose their jobs and those to be affected are in positions made redundant by the constitution.

    Mr Munya noted with concern the slow pace of completing transfers of functions assigned to the devolved units, with the timeline elapsing in March 2016.

    He said the limited transfer of the functions by the county government will inevitably culminate into a constitutional crisis if not done within the stipulated timeframe.
    “We urge the Transition Authority to gazette the remaining functions,” he said.

    He said county governments could not proceed to undertake the duties unless they are gazetted.

    Mr Munya also hailed the National Treasury for releasing the 2015 disbursement but regretted that funds were sent to counties later that the scheduled constitution timeframe.

    “The counties are literary gliding to a halt,” said the CoG chairman.
    He said the delay was hampering service delivery, with workers going for months without pay as well as the holdup in the implementation of development projects.

    DAILY NATION

  • A change of guard beckons Sunday as Tanzania’s young and restless voters head to the polls

    A change of guard beckons Sunday as Tanzania’s young and restless voters head to the polls

    The two leading candidates, John Pombe Magufuli of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and Edward Lowassa of the opposition Ukawa alliance (right) have both repeatedly invoked Nyerere’s name during their campaigns but shifting demographics and political realities mean Tanzania’s Founding Father has, in this election more than any other, become a symbol of the country’s past promise, but not its future prospects.
    In a sweltering makeshift restaurant in downtown Dar es Salaam, a fading picture of Julius Nyerere, grey-haired like a stern but loving grandfather, looks down at diners. Next to it is a framed picture of President Jakaya Kikwete who Tanzanians will be seeking to replace when they go to the polls on Sunday.

    The two leading candidates, John Pombe Magufuli of the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and Edward Lowassa of the opposition Ukawa alliance have both repeatedly invoked Nyerere’s name during their campaigns but shifting demographics and political realities mean Tanzania’s Founding Father has, in this election more than any other, become a symbol of the country’s past promise, but not its future prospects.

    Formed in 1977 through the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union (Tanu), the ruling party in the Mainland and the Afro-Shirazi Party that ruled in Zanzibar, CCM has been in power since Independence and is one of the oldest and most entrenched political parties on the continent.

    Yet, like its counterpart, the African National Congress in South Africa, CCM has shown signs of weakness and fatigue that could be costly in Sunday’s election, including the defection of former prime minister Lowassa to the opposition after internal disagreements over Kikwete’s succession.

    Such internal disputes are not new. In 1995, in the country’s first multiparty General Election, CCM was rocked by the defection of minister Augustine Mrema and Nyerere had to expend precious personal political capital to stop the renegade official from taking power.

    “Tanzania stinks of corruption,” the famously austere Nyerere said at the time. “The State House is a holy place. I was not elected by the people of Tanzania to turn it into a den of racketeers. This year’s elections will be ruled by money. Previously, candidates were asked where and how they got their property. Wealth was not a qualification. This year wealth will be the primary qualification!”

    Twenty years later, and after a series of mega public procurement scandals over the past decade, corruption has slithered down the list of priorities for many Tanzanians.
    The choice is between a candidate fronted by a ruling party with a long list of corruption scandals under its watch, and an opposition candidate who was forced to resign as Prime Minister over his role in one of the bigger ones, the Richmond scandal.

    CCM’s saving grace

    January Makamba, an MP and spokesman for the CCM campaign recently said the opposition had “ceded the anti-corruption agenda” by picking Lowassa as its candidate. This could yet return to haunt Ukawa but an Afrobarometer survey in 2014 found that corruption was only the ninth most important problem Tanzanians wanted the government to address, behind health, education, water supply, agriculture among others.

    This change in attitudes reflects wider changes in Tanzanian society since the days of Nyerere that could affect the outcome of the election. Long gone are the days of Ujaama socialism; Dar es Salaam and other major Tanzanian towns now spot large shopping malls — those temples of individual consumerism — and major international brands.

    Younger Africans today are part of a growing, aspirational class of “millennials” born around the turn of, or who came of age at the turn of the millennium and they will have a large say in elections across the continent, including in Tanzania.

    Some 57 per cent of the country’s 22.7 million registered voters are aged between 18 and 35, while one in four is aged 35 to 49. In fact, with a median age of 17.5, almost half of all Tanzania’s population of almost 50 million were born after Nyerere’s death in October 1999.

    The East African

  • Direct flights between Russia and Ukraine banned

    Direct flights between Russia and Ukraine banned

    Direct flights between Russia and Ukraine will be banned on Sunday, as Kiev introduces new sanctions.

    While Moscow initially called Kiev’s ban on Russian airlines “madness”, it soon announced it would mirror the move.

    Flights will end at midnight on Saturday, following the collapse of last-minute crisis talks.
    Up to 70,000 passengers a month will be affected, the BBC reports.

    Russia has argued Ukraine is shooting itself in the foot with the move, suggesting that most passengers are Ukrainian travelling to work in Russia or visiting relatives.

    However, two-thirds of all passengers travel on Russian airlines.

    The ban highlights how bitter relations remain between the two countries, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support of armed rebels in eastern Ukraine.

    Passengers will have to travel by train or via other countries.

    The Independent

  • Central Africa In Need Of Rwanda’s Expertise

    Central Africa In Need Of Rwanda’s Expertise

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    The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is seeking Rwanda’s expertise in conflict resolution to address continued unrest in the central African region.

    With its success in restoring peace in Central Africa Republic, Mali S. Sudan, and other conflict regions, ECCAS has officially requested Rwanda to be a member of the block, after the country withdrew its membership to focus on contribution to the growth of the East African Community.

    Ahmad Allam-Mi, the Secretary-General of t ECCAS met with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame in Kigali today and delivered the request.

    Ahmad Allam-Misaid that ECCAS is looking for Rwanda’s unique leadership especially in good governance, conflict resolution and integration. “You [Rwanda] are a model in Africa,” has said shortly after meeting Kagame.

    Allam-Mi told President Kagame that the central African States are encountering difficulties to solve conflicts that are prevailing between them, especially in Central Africa Republic where hundreds have been killed in a civil war that started in 2012.

    An extraordinary security summit for Central African Republic (CAR) by ECCAS Head of States is scheduled to take place in Chad, the current chair of ECCAS before end of this year.

    Ahmad Allam-Misaid, a Chadian national, requested President Kagame not to miss it.
    The block believes Kagame’s presence will be of a vital contribution.

    Regardless, Rwanda’s input will be an addition to what the country is doing in the region since the last 10 years in peace building.

    Rwanda was the first to send its peacekeepers in Darfour, Sudan when a conflict erupted since 2004, under African Mission in Sudan (Amis) and then United Nations Mission for Sudan (UNAMISS).

    Rwanda also intervened in Central Africa Republic since 2012, with several contingents including a special guard for the Head of State.

    Other Rwandan troops are serving in Haiti and South Sudan.

    Rwanda has deployed 4,650 Peacekeepers in various missions, and is ranked 5th globally.

    Recently, President Paul Kagame pledged for more peacekeepers and logistics to the countries in conflicts.

    The country will contribute additional 1600 troops, two attack helicopters, a Level Two Hospital and an-all female police unit.

    Rwanda had temporarily withdrawn from ECCAS in 2008 to concentrate on East African Community Integration especially on policies and reintegration projects, including single monetary policy, removing non-tariff barriers and execution of the northern corridor projects.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced Rwanda’s reintegration in ECCAS earlier this month.

    Allam-Misaid believes in Rwanda

    Allam-Mi has continuously expressed concern about the insecurity prevailing in the central Africa region. In 2006, he declared that Chad had received over 300,000 refugees from the insecure Darfour in Sudan while 50,000 other people in his own country had been displaced, and hundreds killed.

    He called upon UN to send peacekeepers in the region.

    The United Nations Security Council agreed to send peacekeepers to Sudan. Meanwhile, before trrops were deployed, Rwanda had already sent 155 peacekeepers in the region under the African Mission in Sudan (Amis).

    Allam-Mi believes Rwanda is a valuable partner.

    KT PRESS

  • ‘Stop Blame Games’ Mushikiwabo Cautions Burundi

    ‘Stop Blame Games’ Mushikiwabo Cautions Burundi

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    Rwanda has officially rejected accusations that it is involved in Burundi’s turmoil. Foreign Affairs Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, told journalists on Thursday evening that Burundi should stop blaming other countries for its political crisis.

    “Burundi’s problem is not Rwanda, Burundi’s problem is Burundi,” Mushikiwabo said.
    She said that Rwanda is not insensitive to Burundian problem, “but it’s not our mandate to solve the problem. I can assure you Rwanda has done all it can do.”

    “We have opened our hospitals, we have opened our schools, we eased all the hurdles any refuges can have going to any country,” she said.

    Rwanda believes the priority in Burundi now is to bring the country back on track and then “ shall we able to handle frictions. No blame game”.

    More than 120 people have died and 190,000 people have been forced to flee Burundi since April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans to seek a third term in office. Rwanda hosts a thousands of refugees fleeing Burundi.

    Nkurunziza secured the new term in July elections, which the opposition boycotted saying it broke the terms of the 2005 peace deal that set two-term limits for presidents.

    Mushikiwabo said, “let’s agree that East African Community and the rest of the world failed to support peaceful solution. When leaders take decisions, they should be able to live with the consequences,” she said.

    Although some Burundi Diaspora thinks that Rwanda should intervene in the crisis, Mushikiwabo said ; “There’s only so much that we can do, we don’t have a mandate to fix other’s problems.”

    However, she said, ” We welcome latest African Union resolutions.”
    The African Union Peace and Security Council asked the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to carry out the investigation and submit a report within 45 days from last Saturday.

    In more efforts to find a lasting solution to Burundi political crisis, the African Union has also called for an inclusive dialogue between the Burundian government and opposition groups to be held in any capital around Africa.

    Burundi’s government is also expected to attend talks in Brussels to seek a solution to a political crisis. A 150-day consultation process that the European Union hopes will end the country’s worst crisis since a civil war ended in 2005.

    Rwandan troops in Burundi & FDLR

    There have been suggestions that Rwanda should send troops to rescue Nkurunziza from the crisis. But Mushikiwabo made it clear Rwanda cannot do so. “Rwanda will never send troops to a host country that is not ready to receive our troops” she said.

    As the issue of Burundi continues to dominate regional security talks, Rwanda is at the same time engaging DRC and other neighbouring countries regarding the FDLR.

    DRC’s Defense Minister Aimé Lusa-Diese Ngoi-Mukena was in Rwanda recently to discuss the way forward. “He discussed broadly ..and when a neighbour wants a dialogue..its good, we were happy”

    Rwanda does not find FLDR posing a military threat, but a political and ideological melting pot.

    “FDLR is not a big problem, militarily, Mushikiwabo said and added that Rwanda believes if the other countries and people involved are out of equation, “we [Rwanda and DRC] would have this issue resolved.”
    Russia

    Minister Mushikiwabo also shed some light on her recent visit to Russia. She said the two countries have had a long time friendship and her visit was a courtesy call to Sergei Lavrov her counterpart to renew the bilateral ties.

    My visit in Russia was a courtesy call by my counterpart to renew our commitments. The minister said her visit was also to woe Russian investors into the investment opportunities in Rwanda.

    KT PRESS

  • Senators call for increased accountability in local govt

    Senators call for increased accountability in local govt

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    Senators have concluded scrutiny of the 2013/14 Auditor-General’s report with a call to the government to help districts ensure proper accountability of their subordinate institutions.

    The AG report was scrutinised by the senatorial Standing Committee on Economic Development and Finance.

    The senatorial committee recently expressed discontent over the reported wasteful expenditures and abnormal losses of public funds as raised by the previous AG report.

    The senators’ analysis states that non-budget agencies (NBAs) – local government sectors, cells and health centres – needed adequate follow-up to verify the accountability reports submitted to districts.

    Presenting the analysis of the report before a Plenary session, Senator Perrine Mukankusi, who chairs the committee, said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning needs to find a suitable channel of accountability for these agencies.

    “To reduce mismanagement and unauthorised expenditures by non-budget agencies at the lowest levels of government, the Ministry of Finance should help parent districts to establish suitable and credible channel to ensure non-budget agencies are fully accountable,” Mukankusi said

    Make NBAs fully-fledged’

    Commenting on this recommendation, Senator Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo called on the government to find means for non-budget agencies to grow into fully-fledged budget agencies since they also indirectly account for quite a fair share of public funds.

    “If districts cannot account for mismanagement done by their subordinates, then there is a need to help them turn into fully accountable public institutions,” Ntawukuliryayo said.

    “The decentralisation system has been in place since 2002, the government should have found a way to have these small public entities grow into complete budget agencies.”

    Public enterprises such as Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), the now defunct Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority; Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and Onatracom were also faulted over misuse of huge amounts of taxpayers’ money.

    Senators recommended that RSSB revises its strategic plans, mostly on housing projects that initially should be built to benefit, among others, its loyal clients.
    The senators had earlier raised concerns over RSSB housing projects with low or no occupancy rate, mostly for infrastructure that were built in remote areas, which are now lying idle.

    While the report will be submitted to the National Public Prosecution Authority for further investigation on possible public fund abusers, Senators committed to carry-out extensive studies on more approaches to hold public enterprises more accountable.

    The New Times

  • Congo opposition leader makes ‘peaceful uprising’ call

    Congo opposition leader makes ‘peaceful uprising’ call

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    An opposition leader in Congo-Brazzaville has called for a “peaceful uprising” ahead of Sunday’s referendum on whether the president can run for office again, AFP news agency reports.

    The call comes after at least four people were killed in clashes between police and protesters.

    Pascal Tsaty Mabiala of the PanAfrican Union for Social Democracy wants to stop Sunday’s vote going ahead.
    President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been in power since 1997.

    Africa Live: BBC news updates

    The vote is aimed at pushing through changes to the constitution such as scrapping age and two-term limits.

    Police fired shots and tear gas in the capital, Brazzaville, on Tuesday in a clamp down on protests against the president’s bid for a third term.

    Texting and internet services were cut and public meetings banned ahead of the referendum, residents said.

    Other journalists told the BBC that most shops in Brazzaville were shut, and people were staying at home amid fears of violence.

    “People are demonstrating across the city. The police are firing tear gas bombs,” Tresor Nzila, head of the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights, told the Reuters news agency.

    “In certain places, the police have fired warning shots with live fire.”
    The opposition have been campaigning under the slogan “Sassoufit”, a pun on the French expression for “that’s enough”.

    BBC

  • President Kagame meets ITU Secretary-General

    President Kagame meets ITU Secretary-General

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    President Kagame yesterday met with the Secretary-General of International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Houlin Zhao, in Kigali. Houlin is in the country to attend the three-day Transform Africa Summit.

    The second of it’s kind to be held in Rwanda, the meeting allows participants to share experiences and renew commitment of accelerating and sustaining the continent’s on-going digital revolution.

    The New Times