Posted Saturday, February 1 2014 at 12:45
Rwanda is again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons following a visit by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Maina Kiai said despite recent progress, respect for political freedom remains wanting. He observed that there were rampant cases where people who expressed views contrary to the government’s found themselves either facing corruption charges or accused of violence or links with violent groups.
Saying that sent the message that peaceful public disagreement with the government is equivalent to criminality, Mr Kiai underscored that the opposition needed to be able to operate without fear.
He added that the legitimate combat against terrorism, and other security considerations, should not be used as a bogeyman to restrict the right to free association.
Despite the government’s persistent denial of these allegations, Mr Kiai’s observations resonate with what global human rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) underscored in its 2013 report (Rwanda Chapter).
HRW accused the government of interfering with one of the last remaining independent human rights organisations, the League for the Promotion and Defence of Human Rights (Liprodhor), which was taken over by pro-government elements last year.
It also accused the government of becoming increasingly intolerant of dissent, citing last year’s parliamentary polls which the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) easily won as an example of the party dominance of the political scene.
Good governance in political, economic, social, cultural and environmental terms which Rwanda continues to be applauded for will only be inclusive and sustainable if the government stands the test of supporting the growth and existence of a credible opposition.
The presence of an opposition that is free to operate will not only erode the hegemony of the ruling party, which in most cases leads to abuse of power, but also empower ordinary citizens to effectively hold their government to account.
And if Rwanda wants to achieve sustainable development that comes with political and economic stability, it will have to do so democratically.
Source: Theeastafrican.co.ke
