Press Release: Opposition Party Registration Becoming Impossible in Rwanda

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda wishes to inform the general public and members of the media that, it’s evidently becoming more impossible to have an opposition party get registered in Rwanda.

DGPR’s tenth request was submitted on 6th May 2012 to the Mayor of Gasabo District. It was also an official response to the Mayor’s letter dated 3rd May, where we had clearly stated that, the party had no issues to sort out with Mr.Mugisha Alexis, since he had voluntarily resigned from the party on 2nd July 2010, his resignation letter was also attached. We therefore, requested the Mayor to grant us permission to hold our founding congress on 21st May.

Surprisingly Mr.Mugisha Alexis also submitted in a new request the same day and requested to hold the same congress on 21st May but at a different location.

On 14th May 2013, while we were meeting the mayor at his offices, we were treated to a great surprise when Mr.Mugisha Alexis, majestically entered and then the Mayor requested us to sit down together and solve the confusion we are causing.

This was not part of our plan but we respected the Mayor’s request and later asked Alexis what he wanted and why he chose to do what he was doing yet he knew he that had resigned from the party. He made it clear that he wants to be brought back into the party and hold a senior position than he held before. We explained to him that we have lost all trust in him and that it won’t be possible and thus advised him to start a new party with a different name. He did not accept our proposal and we are not ready to bring him back in the party.

Given, all the details above, it’s evidently becoming clear that registering an opposition party in Rwanda is increasingly becoming more difficult and we take on this opportunity to request the highest authorities of the country to immediately intervene and solve this unnecessary political impasse.

 Done at Kigali, 20th May 2013

Dr.Frank Habineza

Founding President

Democratic Green Party of Rwanda