Africa-Press – Rwanda. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) filed a list of 65 parliamentary candidates to the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on May 20.
The DGPR Secretary General Jean Claude Ntezimana told The New Times on May 21 that the list comprises 35 male candidates and 30 female candidates. He said 60 were drawn from members of the party at district level, while five directly came from its top leadership.
On issues that the party might focus on when campaigns start, he said, they will be matters related to justice, and welfare including nutrition, and health care.
For example, he noted, compensation to any person that is acquitted after a period of provisional detention is necessary since such a person lost some rights while in detention.
A pre-trial detention, also known as remand or preventive detention, is visited on someone not yet convicted but suspected of a criminal offense.
“Existing laws provide that a person who is detained while under investigation, can sue [the government] when it turns out that he or she is innocent. But you find that no one sues,” he said, pointing out that such people may fear the consequences that might ensue.
“As the party, we think that is not the right practice, but rather the investigators and prosecution should exercise due diligence before arresting a person. There should be established a mechanism through which an acquitted person gest compensation; that money can come from the entities that arrested him or her, and the person who accused him or her of baseless allegations,” he said.
Ntezimana said this is one of the factors that can help address congestion in prisons, and can deter people who want to take others to court with false accusations.
“When you know that you can face consequences once the person you are accusing wins against you [in a court case], there can be caution,” he said.
Seeking more representation in parliament
Ntezimana said the party wants to continue contributing to the country’s development either through the parliament’s responsibilities including passing laws and overseeing government’s activities.
“That is why we want to increase the number of our representatives in parliament because you realise that it is one of the major organs that play a part in the living conditions of residents in a rapid, or direct manner,” he said, pointing out that the party presently has two lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House), and one in the Senate (Upper House).
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