Africa Great Lakes Democracy Watch



Welcome to
Africa Great Lakes Democracy Watch Blog. Our objective is to promote the institutions of democracy,social justice,Human Rights,Peace, Freedom of Expression, and Respect to humanity in Rwanda,Uganda,DR Congo, Burundi,Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya,Ethiopia, and Somalia. We strongly believe that Africa will develop if only our presidents stop being rulers of men and become leaders of citizens. We support Breaking the Silence Campaign for DR Congo since we believe the democracy in Rwanda means peace in DRC. Follow this link to learn more about the origin of the war in both Rwanda and DR Congo:http://www.rwandadocumentsproject.net/gsdl/cgi-bin/library


Thursday, January 5, 2012

RWANDA:UK Aid Debate Puts Kagame Under Spotlight

s

UK aid “fragile states” can no longer be UNCONDITIONAL. Singling out Rwanda and its neighbor DRC, Britain’s official aid watchdog House of Commons International Development Committee demands stricter conditions on the development money.
No wonder Kagame is frequenting the Middle East courting Arab Sultan’s money. The West’s cash is increasingly getting complex for the man.
Rwanda is heavily dependent on aid which provides nearly 50% of government expenditure. UK is the single biggest donor to Rwanda – over £80 million is donated to Rwanda annually, and is set to increase to £90 million in 2014-15.
Kagame’s atrocious human rights record and the lack of political pluralism is what bothering the British. The Committee urges the UK Government to “set out clear benchmarks for the period up to 2015 requiring improvements in areas such as freedom of speech and association. For example, ensuring human rights organisations can operate without censure and improving freedom of the press.”
Naturally Kagame hates such “lectures” from donors. He recently blasted them for suggesting that there is no political space in Rwanda.
The UK Committee’s call for aid review on recipients that deny citizens political freedoms, or exhibiting corruption and fraud follow a similar call.
UK’s National Audit Office expressed similar concerns in 2011.
Britain has usually avoided open criticism of Kagame. This is in part due to UK’s embarrassment at its failure to help stop genocide in 1994.
Kagame has also cleverly cultivated personal relationships with individual British politicians that support his “visionary” leadership. Former PM Tony Blair, Andrew Mitchell, and even the current PM David Cameron appear to worship the “visionary” leader.
But the noose is tightening on Kagame. In November 2011, Dr Susan Rice the American Ambassador to the UN dared state publicly in Kigali that opposition and media leaders “disappear” in Rwanda.
Then there is Kagame’s material and moral corruption. With his $100,000,000.00 Bombardier Global Express planes and kingly life style, Kagame is proving to be more embarrassing to the British.
In September last year at the UN General Assembly, Kagame was staying in US$20,000.00 a night hotel. His financier PM Cameron could only afford humble lodgings of US$2,000.00 a night.
Finally, Kagame even had the audacity to send his operatives to the UK to intimidate the Rwandan Diaspora living there. Talk about being your own worst enemy!

No comments: