RPF dismisses BBC allegations

KIGALI - The Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) has categorically dismissed as baseless and mudslinging, allegations contained in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) broadcast last Friday. The BBC Great Lakes Kinyarwanda programme aired a story alleging that the party is forcefully extracting money from Rwandans to fund the imminent Presidential elections. In a statement released by the RPF Secretary General – Francois Ngarambe, yesterday, it is noted that this is a malicious allegation meant to tarnish the party’s image. “This malicious allegation clearly aimed at tarnishing our image as a political party, is also a deliberate move from a section of detractors whose agenda is to discredit the national electoral process,” reads part of the statement. “The RPF does not organize elections and could not in any way collect or even mobilize funds for elections in which it is participating.” According to the statement, organizing elections is the business of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), whose mandate is clearly enshrined in the Constitution. “It is publically known that NEC has been allocated sufficient resources from the national budget and development partners to organize the forthcoming Presidential elections.” “It has never been our policy to forcefully extract funds from members of our political organization…like any progressive political party the world over, we have transparent mechanisms through which resources are mobilized from party members.” It notes that as the August elections get nearer, a sustained smear campaign deliberately targeted at the RPF and its leadership in particular, is increasingly becoming clear. The party however emphasized that this campaign will not divert RPF from its commitment to deliver on the vision they set out to achieve for this country and its people. In a March interview with The New Times, NEC Chairman, Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa revealed that the body had received the biggest chunk of the funds needed to organize elections, through commitments by government and development partners. The development partners include DfID, the European Commission, the Dutch Government, Swedish Cooperation and the United Nations. Ends