Parties’ promise to voters

Political parties and independent candidates vying for parliamentary seats in the forthcoming elections for members of the Lower House are making similar promises to the electorate, a review of various manifestos and pronouncement made on the campaign trail shows. All political parties unveiled their election manifestos at the start of the campaigns last week and are all promising to continue improving infrastructure, health, education and agriculture. The only little contrast is in the detail and areas of emphasis. This convergence of ideas could be an indication that despite differences in political party affiliations, all Rwandans share the country’s vision and development agenda as outlined under Vision 2020, especially because of the inclusive approach used in charting the nation’s development path during the annual national dialogue, Umushyikirano. The dialogue brings together political leaders and technocrats—meaning the outcome is a reflection of not only consensus but also the immediate needs of the people, the voters. Moreover, nearly all leaders of the main political parties are part of the executive arm of government service as cabinet ministers. The contest for seats in the 80-member chamber is most likely not going to be about which party has presented the best agenda, but rather who can be trusted to implement what everybody knows is good for the country. Indeed while launching the campaign of the RPF-led coalition last week, RPF party chairman, President Paul Kagame, said the party has never failed to deliver on its promises. “RPF has never expected to achieve anything on a silver platter,” he said, adding that the party has always worked hard in the service of the nation. We have always and will continue to work hard to achieve our collective goals. We pledge development, electricity and water for all, as well as continuous improvement in healthcare and education,” Kagame said. Picking from RPF’s pledge on infrastructure, the other contestants for the 53 directly elected seats in the House also know that electricity, roads, water is the core to the development agenda. For example, the Liberal Party (PL) has made expanding social infrastructure the hallmark of its campaign. It says that is the shortcut to vision 2020 objectives and pledges support to the private sector to rollout more telecommunication services throughout the country. Perhaps with the benefit of incumbency, the RPF provides detail in infrastructure outlining a program to tarmac roads such as Huye-Ngoma-Kibeho, Cimerwa-Bugarama, 20kms of City roads, a 9 km-road to Tumba College of Technology. Others are Base-Gicumbi- Nyagatare, Ngoma-Nyanza and the remaining 138 km on Kivu belt road. RPF’s infrastructure plan also includes among others; construction of the country’s first railway, a bigger international airport in Bugesera and to increase electricity generation and make it available to at least 70% of the households from the current 17%. In order to achieve this, the party pledges to exploit all sources of energy available in the country such as peat, methane gas, geothermal, hydropower as well as solar. Education The national vision of building a knowledge-based economy seems to be setting political party agenda in education. PS Imberakuri and PL appear to be reading from the same script as far as education is concerned with both parties pledging to do something for “poor and vulnerable” students. While PL pledges to encourage creation of private schools and funds to support needy students, PS promises to push for communal education fund for poor/ vulnerable students to acquire university education. PSD is for skills development, adult literacy and labour market analysis to know which skills are required by the job market. Yet all these are not any different from the RPF-led coalition’s pledge to provide education to every Rwandan child. However, RPF is offering more with a promise of a national research policy and launch of the knowledge transfer program, network of institutions of higher learning research institutions and industries. On improving the quality of education, RPF has premised its policy on availing necessary teaching tools, empowering teachers, and improving evaluation methods. Agriculture Perhaps the most debated subject on the campaign trail, is agriculture where party positions are similar—all appearing to be reading from the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS I&II). For example, PL talks about increased irrigation, control of soil erosion and mechanisation to increase productivity for domestic consumption and for the market. This is no different from the RPF policy of consolidating land use, fighting soil erosion, irrigation, mechanisation and the use of improved seeds and fertilisers. All party positions are geared towards increasing production. The ruling party however again demonstrates its superior power on matters of policy by promising specific targets. For instance, the RPF says the target is to increase use of mechanised means to 25% from the current 12%. The party targets to increase land under irrigation to 40,000 hectares from the current 24,000. RPF intends to increase exports of agriculture products, especially in horticulture. The party further pledges that research, technology and communication will be improved and main focus will be put in helping the farmers to graduate from rudimental farming to modern commercial farming and produce for both the local and foreign markets.