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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

RWANDA: Rival parties back Kagame for presidency

KIGALI, 2 July 2003 (IRIN) - Even before gaining his own party's nomination, Rwandan President Paul Kagame seems to be emerging as the compromise candidate for several key parties in the transitional government of national unity.

The Parti Liberal (PL), Parti social-democrate (PSD), Parti democratique islamique PDI) and Parti syndical rwandais (PSR) have unanimously agreed not to field any presidential candidate, but instead endorsed Kagame, from the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), for the presidency.

The four parties declared their stand in a statement read on Radio Rwanda on Sunday and Tuesday.

The PL and PSD have the same number of seats in the National Assembly as the RPF.

The four parties have also advised the RPF National Executive Congress delegates to endorse Kagame as the party's flag bearer ahead of the August presidential elections. The RPF will nominate its presidential candidate on Saturday.

The four parties said Kagame's track record was "immeasurable", and that he should lead the country for the next seven years as stipulated in the constitution that Rwandans recently endorsed.

They said Kagame's dedication and vision would transform the country and urged voters to support him.

The transitional government, which has been in place since the 1994 genocide, comprises eight parties, of which the Mouvement democratique republicain is about to be disbanded following a parliamentary decision. The constitutional court is due to determine the party's fate.

Rwanda's transitional assembly recently passed two laws that paved the way for presidential and parliamentary elections. One of the laws sets guidelines for the conduct of political parties and the other governs presidential and parliamentary aspirants.

The country will hold its first post-genocide presidential elections in August and the parliamentary polls in September.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Governance

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