Key political risks to watch in Rwanda

http://af.reuters.com/article/ugandaNews/idAFL5E8M8AXH20121108?sp=true FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Rwanda Thu Nov 8, 2012 3:03pm GMT   By Jenny Clover KIGALI Nov 8 (Reuters) - Relations between Rwanda and its donors are strained after two U.N. experts reported alleged Rwandan support for a rebellion in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and accused Rwanda's defence minister of leading it. Donors including the United States, the Netherlands and Germany have suspended some of their financial aid to Rwanda over accusations that it is backing M23 rebels in eastern DRC. President Paul Kagame denies the allegations. Relations between Rwanda and DRC have also worsened, and a Congolese soldier was killed by Rwandan troops after a clash near the border. Last month Rwanda won a revolving two-year seat on the U.N. Security Council to begin in 2013, something Kigali saw as a victory after high-profile accusations of its support for M23. What to watch out for: - Rwanda says that if the suspended aid isn't restarted by January, it could harm the economy - Britain has broken ranks with other donors by unblocking about half of its $25 million aid to Rwanda in September, welcoming Kigali's constructive efforts to solve the conflict. Will other donors follow Britain and unfreeze aid? - Will Britain's new development secretary re-suspend aid? - Will the fighting at the Rwanda-Congo border escalate? - Regional states have agreed to a 4,000-strong force to try to neutralise the M23 rebels, but will this get off the ground? POLITICAL OPPONENTS, INTERNAL RIFTS Last month a Rwandan court jailed opposition politician Victoire Ingabire for eight years on charges of minimising the 1994 genocide and terrorism, a case seen as a test of the judiciary's independence. Ingabire plans to appeal the conviction. Kagame has been accused by critics of being authoritarian and trampling on media and political freedoms. He rejects the accusations, and points to his record of leading his country's recovery from the genocide. Kagame says he plans to transform Rwanda into a middle-income country by 2020. He was re-elected by a landslide in 2010 for a final term that expires in 2017. Ingabire returned to Rwanda in January 2010 from exile in the Netherlands to contest presidential elections but was barred from standing after being charged in court. What to watch: - Will Ingabire's appeal be successful? - How will Kagame react to pressure from opposition parties and the West for political liberalisation? - Will other opposition politicians face the same treatment meted out to Ingabire should they decide to run for top office? - What's in store for the Democratic Greens party when it seeks registration later this month? (Editing by James Macharia and Mark Heinrich) © Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved

Rwanda: RNC-IHURIRO CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Ijwi ry'Ihuriro Nyarwanda posted in RADIO ITAHUKA TODAY ON YOUTUBE Ijwi ry'Ihuriro Nyarwanda 9:57am Nov 8 RWANDA NATIONAL CONGRESS CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA His Excellency Barack Obama President of the United States of America The White House Washington DC Your Excellency, On behalf of the Rwanda National Congress, I am honored to congratulate you upon re-election to a second term as President of the United States of America. The American people have made their choice, and you have given them hope that the best is yet to come. Mr President, you may be both heartened and burdened by the knowledge that it is not American citizens only who look to you with high expectation and much anticipation for leading in a country and a world faced with mountains of challenges. Many in Africa, and our own country, Rwanda, in particular, look forward to your support as we daily labor to extend the reach of freedom, unity in diversity, peace and security, and shared prosperity. Even in countries facing much more serious problems than America's, we too are sustained by the hope that the best is yet to come. Like you, we are well aware that we can only win when we fight together, and struggle smartly. The Rwanda National Congress once again congratulates you and the Democratic Party for a well-deserved and much-needed victory. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year. We shall overcome! Highest considerations, Your Excellency. Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa Co-ordinator Rwanda National Congress Washington DC 11/8/2012 View Post on Facebook · Edit Email Settings · Reply to this email to add a comment.

USA: Romney ‘transition’ website briefly appears online

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/romney-transition-192214963--election.html   Romney 'transition' website briefly appears online By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News Senior Media Reporter By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | The Ticket –  1 hr 6 mins ago The apparent homepage of Mitt Romney's transition site (Political Wire) Mitt Romney told reporters aboard his plane on Tuesday afternoon that he had prepared an 1,118-word "victory speech" to give supporters on election night. And it appears the Romney campaign was preparing a website for his transition from candidate to president, too. The site appeared online on Wednesday and was taken down—but not before Taegan Goddard, a blogger for Roll Call's Political Wire, captured screenshots, which included a "President Elect" seal, information about the inauguration, a fresh tagline ("Smaller, Simpler, Smarter") and a quote from the Republican nominee ("I'm excited about our prospects as a nation. My priority is putting people back to work in America."). The site also included a page with information on how to join the Romney administration, as well as a section on the president-elect's process of picking a Cabinet: President-elect Romney is working closely with his transition team to put together his administration to ensure a smooth transfer of power on January 20th, 2013 and get to work for the American people. It's unclear how long the transition site was live or who was responsible for its content. A spokesman for the Romney campaign did not return a request for comment. But it's not unusual for the campaign to have had one ready. As CBSNews.com noted, federal funds are provided to both presidential nominees months in advance "to build transition teams and rent office space." Perhaps the Romney IT team was simply still in shock. A few minutes after the former Massachusetts governor gave his concession speech early Wednesday, President Barack Obama's victory speech was streamed live at the top of MittRomney.com, adjacent to the words "Stand With Mitt."

http://therisingcontinent.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/ghana-steady-steps-towards-a-true-african-democracy/#more-3156   Ghana steady steps towards a true African democracy Posted on November 7, 2012 | Leave a comment Ghanaian Vice-Presidential candidates of political parties represented in parliament: Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).Cherita Sarpong-Kumankuma of the Convention People's Party (CPP), and Helen Sanorita Dzatugbe Matervi of the People's National Convention (PNC). On Tuesday 6th November 2012, while the rest of the world was focused on the outcome of American elections, a unique experience of democracy on the African continent was being shaped and pursuing its apparent unstoppable pace in Ghana. A week before the public slated event, a televised debate had given opportunity to presidential candidates of the four political parties with representatives in the Ghanaian parliament, to present their policies to the public. The debate had brought together: John Mahama , sitting president, representing the National Democratic Congress of Ghana, Hassan Ayariga of the People's National Convention (PNC), Michael Abu Sakara Forster of the Convention People's Party and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the main opposition New Patriotic Party. This time around it was the occasion for their respective vice presidential candidates to provide more of the details regarding their policies their parties would pursue once in power. The personalities on the podium included: Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Cherita Sarpong-Kumankuma of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Helen Sanorita Dzatugbe Matervi of the People's National Convention (PNC) and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). For Ghanaians and Africans in general, this democratic exercise should be seen as more important than the American election. The same way the outcome of the latter will affect the lives of US citizens and probably the country's relations with the rest of the world, effective practice of the Ghanaian democratic experience will immensely transform the lives of people of that country and the way it relates to other nations. On 11th July 2009, Barack Obama declared in Accra that Africa needed strong institutions but not strong men. He did not say that America was going to help Africa get those strong institutions. America, as any other nation, true to its primary responsibility of caring for its people, will always pursue American interests, particularly in its relations with other nations. On his inaugural day when he was first elected as the 44th US president, there are also many good declarations of intention he made which, looking back on the day of his re-election almost four years later, demonstrate that he did not live up to his promises. He said on 20/01/09 while addressing the nation and the world, certainly talking of particularly African autocratic leaders and of other places: "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist." But this should have been a strong and clear lesson that many in different countries don't get: that politicians only make promises and fulfilling them or not, that what makes politics. Back to those strong institutions without which a strong and sustainable development is impossible, it's up to Africa and Africans to seek how to develop them. And Ghana with this other democratic milestone characterized by presidential and vice-presidential televised debates appears to be doing the very right thing on the African continent, which is worth supporting and emulating across its different countries.

Rwanda: FDU-Inkingi congratulates President Obama for his re-election

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/english-rwanda-congratulations-on-obama-reelection#more-1941   Rwanda – Congratulations on Obama reelection Lausanne, November 07, 2012.      H.E.  Barack H. Obama President of the United States of America The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500   Re: Letter of congratulations from the coordinating committee of FDU-Inkingi (Rwanda) to His Excellency Mr. Barack Obama, on his reelection as President of the United States of America.   Your Excellency,   The American people have just chosen you again to preside over their destiny for the next four years.   It gives us immense pleasure to extend, on behalf of the coordinating committee of the Rwandan opposition FDU-INKINGI, our warmest congratulations and sincere greetings to Your Excellency. We are confident that your re-election will allow you to move forward with new and ambitious goals for the United States, as well as internationally. Your stunning victory rewards a tireless commitment to serving the American people and the world.   Your successful dedication to democracy, your extraordinary leadership in different capacities and your commitment to justice and human rights give more expectations to most oppressed people and especially in Africa where warlords continue to stage savage attacks against civilians.   A fresh proxy war in the North Kivu (DRC) waged by the so called M23 rebellion has been documented by the report by the United Nations (UN) Group of Experts on the DRC.   Evidence on the implication of Rwanda in arming, training, financing and recruiting is overwhelming.   On 01 October 2010, the UN report "DRC: Mapping human rights violations 1993-2003″ has documented at length that terrible humanitarian crimes in the DRC were partly committed by the current Rwandan leadership and its army. The plundering of minerals in the DRC continues. There has been no justice.   In Rwanda, we humbly need your attention for the release of opposition leaders and critic journalists serving hefty sentences in prisons on politically motivated charges. Our leader, Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza was handed 8 years on 30 October 2012; Mr. Deogratias Mushayidi, leader of PDP Imanzi was given a life term in 2010 while Mr. Bernard Ntaganda, leader of PS Imberakuri, 4 years in 2011.   Your re-election comes the right time and we are sure you are the right person for the changes needed in the world today.   Accept, Your Excellency Mr. President, the renewed assurances of my very high consideration.   FDU-Inkingi Coordinating Committee Dr. Nkiko Nsengimana Coordinator