The US Assistant Secretary of State on the Great Lakes  Region Linda Greenfield  has strongly warned the  East African Leaders that they Should Honor Constitutional Term Limits.

Kabila DRC,  Kaguta Uganda and Kagame of Rwanda all seeking end of term limits

Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe president since 1980’s

The U.S. Assistant secretary of state for Great Lakes Region, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said President Barack Obama’s call for strong institutions in Africa includes respecting limits on power.

“If constitutions call for term limits, then those term limits need to be honored. And we have been very clear in discouraging African leaders from making changes in their constitution that will benefit one person, one party, to allow that person to stay in power longer than the constitution intended for them to stay in power.”

Taking questions from reporters after she was nominated to replace Russ Feingold, she warned that Washington would not hesitate to support the people power to overthrow those dictators who don’t respect their Constitution.  For many Rwandans, this is the translation of the above statement .Niba abaperezida b’abanyafurika batubahirije itegeko shinga ryabo, Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika ntizazuyaza mugufasha abaturage mugukuraho abakuru b’ibihugu byabo barangije manda zabo”

Linda-Greenfield gave an example of Burkina Faso President Blaise Compare who was overthrown in a popular uprising similar to the Arab spring. Leaders on the frontline of changing the constitution are Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi might change their constitutions to run again.

The diplomat said “there is absolutely no confusion” about Washington’s position on rolling back term limits. She said the administration has made its views on the subject known “to all of the leaders where there are attempts to make changes in the constitution.”

There are four pillars that serve as the foundation of U.S. policy toward Africa and East Africa in Particular.

1) Strengthening Democratic Institutions;
2) Supporting African economic growth and development;
3) Advancing Peace and Security;
4) Promoting Opportunity and Development.

However, President Kagame has been a canny political animal for all the past 21 years that the RPF has been in power and even before when they were still in the struggle.   Hi will be telling lies that the Rwandan People love him and they are demanding him to run again, it’s unfortunate that many Rwandans have resorted to lies for their own survival politically or socially. Indeed, as the People lie that they love President Kagame, he also lie to them that he doesn’t know that they are lying. This is a cycle of deceit in the Rwandan society and politics, if you reflect on the recent concluded retreat you will understand the nature of the Rwandan politics. All the government officials were under a state of fear and confusion. In fact you could read that on their faces, they couldn’t differentiate their allies and opponent, when  Andrew Mwenda a Ugandan journalist and a special advisor to Kagame raised a point in their defense, Kagame immediately disagreed with Mwenda, but you can’t imagine that all the audience gave a sounding applause and clapping hands for Kagame.

Someone would wonder whether these honorable officials really understood the point Mr. Andrew Mwenda made, or they wanted to lie to Kagame that he is always right as Kagame also lie to them that he doesn’t know they don’t love him.

Furthermore, the family of Rwigara is still going in a state of shock and astonishment,  they know that Kagame ordered the murder of their father and husband respectively, despite of all the evidence they have that Rwigara was  murdered before they staged an accident in the same way President Idi Amin killed Bishop Janan Luwum and staged an accident.  You can’t imagine that Rwigara Assinapol was found still alive and his family was denied access to him during that staged accident; they instead took him to the Police Hospital where they could finish him off.

Apparently the family is calling for the assistance from the real person who was behind the killing of their beloved one, this is a twofold appeal,  the family is lying Kagame that they don’t know that he was behind the murder of their beloved one, thinking that may be Kagame will reciprocate and lie to them that he doesn’t know that he knows they are lying, so that this might prolong their life span, but if Kagame is convinced that they know he was behind the murder of Rwigara, he will one by one kill them and no one will remain to tell a story.

The family of Asiel Kabera knows this drama very well, he was murdered by DMI and immediately the killers became the rescuers, this helps them to know whether their prey is on the hook, (if has been finished off). If the family of Rwigara is still in doubt they should ask the family of Asiel Kabera. Unfortunately, the Rwandan society is composed and confused, intimidated to an extent that they have closed their eyes when this political vampire is taking Rwandan lives as herdsman picking one animal from his herd for Christmas or anytime he has visitors. For how long shall Rwandans allow this kind of slaughter to continue?  Have we accepted to be chickens for Kagame to roast on Christmas and any time he feels hungry?

What can we do to bring down dictators? Faced with horrible repression in our country, it’s easy to feel impotent. So how can outsiders actually help? This is exactly what the US Assistant Secretary Linda Greenfield is talking about.

Rwandans should learn from Revolutionaries in Egypt and Tunisia on nonviolent techniques to confront the RPF Dictators. Well aware that circumstances differ, the intention is to create a menu of options, rather than a prescription. The goal is to create a list available to all, to share the knowledge and help maximise the effect of those who want to help using nonviolent actions to defeat tyranny.

Jacqueline Umurungi

Brussels.