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Even though Burundi is yet to come out of the crisis occasioned by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term in office, another African leader, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, being backed by the country’s ruling Party to go for a third term in office.
And it would require the Rwandan Parliament to amend the constitution allowing for more than two terms as President.
The ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) rose from a two-day retreat in the capital, Kigali, and released a statement that pushes for constitutional change. This statement was dispersed after 600 high-level members had a two-day retreat in Kigali, the capital.
“Based on the wishes of Rwandans and Party officials members have recently expressed, we support that the [constitution]… should be amended.” the statement read.
Apparently, 3.6 million people signed a petition that requested Parliament to alter the constitution so that Kagame could run.
Some reports have suggested that a majority of the people who signed the petition did so only because of stressful times.
The suggestion of unwilling signatures is adjacent to Kagame’s critics saying that Kagame, as the current President, has utter disregard for political freedoms and should not be elected for a third term.