Rwanda’s political parties urge revision of law on funding

Members of ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) — Inkotanyi at a past congress meeting. RPF unlike other parties, boasts of a huge resource base, with a vast business portfolio. The party also has wealthy members who bankroll its activities. PHOTO | FILE 

By TEA JOINT REPORT

In Summary

• Rwandan political parties are struggling to raise money to help them engage in their planned activities. Ahead of the 2017 presidential elections, the parties say they do not have enough resources and what the government is providing is not sufficient.
• Apart from donors, the political parties largely depend on government support, something observers say prevents political parties from being independent.
• The ruling party RPF, led by President Paul Kagame, unlike other parties, boasts of a huge resource base, with a vast business portfolio, which the Financial Times estimates to be worth over $100 million. The party also has wealthy members who bankroll its activities.

Rwandan political parties are struggling to raise money to help them engage in their planned activities. Ahead of the 2017 presidential elections, the parties say they do not have enough resources and what the government is providing is not sufficient.

Under the current arrangement, the government finances registered political parties through a budget channelled through the National Forum of Political Organisations (NFPO) but the parties say the money given by the government is less than what is needed.

According to the spokesperson of the forum, Christine Mukabunani, the government has provided Rwf400 million ($529,334) in the 2016/17 financial year, less than half the budget the parties have in place.

“Our budget this year is Rwf900 million($1.1 million). The government is giving us Rwf400 million, we need to raise the remaining amount from other sources if we are to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves this year and next year,” Ms Mukabunani said.

She says some of the activities include preparing parties for the forthcoming presidential polls, constructing the forum’s offices and building the capacity of party members.

Apart from the government, UNDP and some development partners partly finance the activities of political parties but Ms Mukabunani says the money is not enough to cater for the planned activities.

UNDP will be providing Rwf213 million ($281,870) but the forum still needs more than Rwf300 million ($397,000) for which they are yet to find donors.

Apart from donors, the political parties largely depend on government support, something observers say prevents political parties from being independent.

“In principle, it is not wrong for political parties to take funding from the government but it should not be the only source of income, if for example, they are to run an effective political campaign. The government money is too little,” said Gonzaga Muganwa, a political analyst.

He says that parties cannot be entirely independent if they mainly depend on the goodwill of the government to survive.

Number of parties

There are 11 political parties under the national forum. Apart from the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR), the remaining parties work in alliance with the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) — Inkotanyi.

The ruling party RPF, led by President Paul Kagame, unlike other parties, boasts of a huge resource base, with a vast business portfolio, which the Financial Times estimates to be worth over $100 million. The party also has wealthy members who bankroll its activities.

Under its current format, Article 24 of the law governing political parties bars the political parties from receiving foreign aid and this, according to Frank Habineza, the President of the Green Party, prevents political organisations from being financial stable and independent.

“We have already submitted our demand for electoral and political reforms to the prime minister. If dealt with, those reforms would help bring about a level playing field,” he said.