NEC dismisses Green Party's claims on referendum campaigns

Nobody was prohibited from carrying out referendum campaigns as long as they comply with legal obligations, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has said. NEC executive secretary Charles Munyaneza, who was yesterday responding to claims by Democratic Green Party of Rwanda that it had been prohibited from carrying out a ‘No’ vote campaign ahead of next week’s referendum on the proposed amendments of the Constitution, said the commission can only regulate such campaigns. While Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and Liberal Party (PL) are rallying members in a ‘YES’ campaign, Green Party claimed that the campaign period was not ample for a ‘No’ vote. In a Wednesday statement, the opposition party officials said, due to the short period to the polling day [December 17 and 18], a five-day notice to rally a ‘NO’ campaign to the constitution amendment was not possible. “Today [Wednesday], the party consulted the National Electoral Commission on the possibility of having the referendum campaigns and was informed that campaigns have not been programmed, that rather the commission will sensitise the voters on the conduct of the referendum,” reads part of the statement signed by the party’s president, Frank Habineza. However, NEC said decisions on campaigns are prerogative of political actors while regulation is the commission’s responsibility. “We are not the one to set programmes for parties’ campaigns, if the law allows they are free to conduct campaigns and we will be there to enforce the rules,” said Munyaneza. He said campaigns close 24 hours before the Election Day, otherwise people are free to campaign using whatever means they have. “Green Party or any other party can go and tell the people how to vote. What we are expecting from these people is to mobilise citizens to go and vote, regardless of whether they vote ‘YES’ or ‘NO,’” Munyaneza said at a media briefing on preparations ahead of the referendum day. He was flanked by Prof. Kalisa Mbanda, the NEC chairperson. Election observers Meanwhile, on elections observers, Prof. Mbanda said invitations to a number of international institutions were sent out. “We expect around 1,700 international and regional observers, if our invitations are honoured; otherwise everything else is in place,” he said. About 6.3 million voters are expected to vote at 2,300 polling stations across the country to cast their votes on the upcoming referendum initiated by members of the public to get a chance to vote President Paul Kagame should his term come to end in 2017. President Kagame is yet to announce whether he will stand for presidency despite massive appeals from members of the public. At least 3.7 million citizens had petitioned Parliament five months ago to revise the supreme law to remove legal provisions that might prohibit President Kagame from seeking re-election in 2017 – if he so wishes – when his second seven-year time ends. In the revised Constitution, Article 101 entitles the President to rule for one five-year term renewable once, but the law, in its Article 172, provides for a transitional period of seven years for a president who will be elected in 2017. The transitional provision, according to lawmakers, seeks to ensure that the country’s existing development agenda is achieved and sustained before switching to presidential term of five years sequence. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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NEC dismisses Green Party's claims on referendum campaigns