The head of Rwanda’s opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Frank Habineza, has been selected as his party’s candidate for the country’s 2017 presidential election.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda was unable to compete in the 2010 presidential polls and the party’s vice-president, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, was murdered in the run-up to the vote.

Habineza says his campaign for the 2017 elections will focus on a number of issues including agriculture, education, foreign affairs, justice and security. He said the manifesto will be published shortly.

His election campaign will be funded “through membership contributions”, he said, adding that there are prominent business people who support his party, although their identity is “confidential” at the moment.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is widely expected to stand for a third term in the polls - he was elected in 2010 with 93 per cent of the vote. Habineza’s Democratic Green Party of Rwanda acts as the only registered opposition party to Kagame’s government.

Kagame is lauded for stabilising Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The country has experienced fast economic growth and his government is considered to be relatively corruption-free.

Source: RFI

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