RWANDA "FRAGILE" BUT POLITICAL SITUATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 000054 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/27/2010 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM RW SUBJECT: RWANDA "FRAGILE" BUT POLITICAL SITUATION IMPROVING, SAY PDC PARTY LEADERS KIGALI 00000054 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Parti Democrate Centriste (PDC) leaders told Emboffs January 6 that while the political situation in Rwanda fifteen years after the genocide remains "fragile," political parties can operate more easily and freely today, and the PDC is considering running as an independent party during the next legislative elections, set for 2013. PDC president Agnes Mukabaranga, a senator, also said she was concerned that "uneducated people might misunderstand" comments by Parti Social-Imberakuri leader Bernard Ntaganda, a self-described "opposition" candidate for the presidency. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Senator Agnes Mukabaranga, leader of the Parti Democrate Centriste (PDC),met with DCM and polcouns January ¶6. PDC first vice president Emmanuel Gatera and second vice president Vincent Rwigema also attended. ¶3. (C) According to Mukabaranga, the PDC was founded in the early 1990s, participated in the Arusha peace process, and was part of Rwanda's transitional government following the 1994 genocide. The PDC is small today, she said, and has two seats in parliament, down from six in the 1990s. It is part of the Rwanda Patriotic Front's governing coalition, but "has ambitions for the future" and plans to run independently during the next legislative elections, set for 2013. The PDC's goal is to win more seats in parliament, so it can have more influence. In the meantime, the party expresses its ideas whenever it can, holds workshops, and is seeking to establish a formal presence in all of Rwanda's 30 districts. ¶4. (C) Mukabaranga described the PDC as distinct among Rwandan parties in that it specifically adheres to and promotes "brotherhood," including tolerance and respect for diversity. Because of this, she explained, "we have avoided quarrels in the party" and decided to support former party leader Alfred Mukezamfura when he stood accused of genocide-related crimes, a crisis which caused many members to quit. (Note: Mukabaranga took over as PDC leader in June 2009, replacing Mukezamfura, who was speaker of parliament from 2003-2008. A gacaca court found Mukezamfura guilty of genocide-related crimes and in September 2009 sentenced him to life in prison with special provisions. End Note.) Also, whenever party members have problems with local authorities, who are sometimes "ignorant" of the law, the PDC asks its members to provide details of such harassment and reports these cases to the Political Party Forum. ¶5. (C) Discussing the overall situation facing Rwanda, Mukabaranga noted that armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo now present less of an immediate threat, that gacaca trials had provided justice, and that most post-1994 land disputes were resolved. "Rwanda is still fragile," and the PDC has told its members to "avoid divisionism or genocide ideology" in their speeches during the run-up to presidential elections in August 2010. The PDC wants to support a "strong candidate," she added, though would not be fielding their own. (Note: Local press reported that Mukabaranga announced in December 2009 that the PDC would not/not field a presidential candidate in 2010. End Note.) Campaigning this time will likely be smooth, she said, because the general population is now more accepting of Qsaid, because the general population is now more accepting of activities by parties other than the RPF. "We ourselves had problems with the population in the past, because they are uneducated and were programmed to view the RPF as the only legitimate political party." These days, people do not see the PDC as an enemy, the party is able to hold meetings simply by informing authorities, and one can "openly challenge" the RPF. Gatera echoed this view, explaining that in 2007, the law changed and now parties can operate at the village level, whereas previously they could only operate at the national and provincial level. Before 2007, it was not possible to talk about opposition parties, but today, people can say openly that they "are in opposition" and it is possible to register as an opposition party. ¶6. (C) Commenting on Rwanda's newest political party, the Parti Social-Imberakuri (PS-Imberakuri),Mukabaranga said that PS-Imberakuri leader Bernard Ntaganda has defined himself as "in opposition." This is legal, but the Senate has asked for clarification. (Note: A Senate committee met twice with Ntaganda in January, to discuss allegations that he had made statements that were "divisionist" or threatened to undermine national unity. End Note). "Our fear," she KIGALI 00000054 002.2 OF 002 explained, is that Ntaganda may violate the constitution. She stressed that the PDC itself opposed RPF policies on issues such as maternity leave and education (NFI),and that the Parti Liberal and Parti Social Democrate also opposed the RPF on certain issues. (Note: Parliament in late 2009 passed legislation reducing the amount of paid maternity leave from 12 to 6 weeks. Shortly after doing so, parliamentarians came under criticism from some women and NGOs, who noted pointedly that women were in the majority in parliament, yet passed a law that was against their own interests. End Note.) However, she reminded, people "must avoid genocide ideology because the country is still fragile." Mukabaranga concluded, "I have no problem with Bernard, but uneducated people might misunderstand him." ¶7. (C) Regarding economic issues, Mukabaranga said Rwanda needs to focus on well-being of the general population by reducing poverty. Those of us in government have information, but the average citizen does not have the same access and does not have as much opportunity to express their views. Now that the country is part of the East African Community and the Commonwealth, Rwandans need to learn more about these organizations, and be aware of what they may be gaining or losing. On land issues, authorities need to begin registering ownership. Also, the ministry of agriculture has briefed members of parliament on the government's Crop Intensification Program, but authorities need to do more to explain it to the public at large. ¶8. (C) BIO NOTE: Mukabaranga is approximately 55 years old and was born in Gitarama, of mixed Tutsi-Hutu heritage. A widow, her husband was a minister of internal affairs who died in the late 1980s. She reportedly has a son who is attending New York University. Mukabaranga obtained a law degree from the National University of Rwanda in Butare, and is a practicing attorney. She joined the PDC in the early 1990s, was a member of the transitional parliament that lasted from 1994-2003, and in 2003 was one of four individuals elected to the Senate by the Political Party Forum. She is a member of the Senate's foreign affairs committee, chairs the Forum of Rwandan Women Parliamentarians (a body that includes the majority of Rwanda's legislators) and is a member of the Pan-African Parliament. ¶9. (C) COMMENT: The PDC, among the smallest of Rwanda's parties, likely made the decision to remain part of the RPF coalition during 2008 legislative elections because PDC leaders realized they would not garner enough votes on their own (five percent of the total) to win a seat in parliament and earn access to funding from the Political Party Forum. The party is also still recovering from the loss of its former leader, Mukezamfura; Mukabaranga, by comparison, is not as high-profile a public figure. END COMMENT. SYMINGTON