Democratic Green Party to Focus on Grassroots Organization Following Election Lessons

Rulindo District, Rwanda, 21st February, 2025 – The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has announced a renewed focus on strengthening its presence at the village level, citing lessons learned from the recent presidential elections.

The announcement came after a meeting of party members in Rulindo district, where they received training in areas such as politics, environmental protection, advocacy, project development for members (particularly the women and youth), and communication among others.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Dr. Frank Habineza, President of the Green Party, emphasized the importance of the training and its role in enabling members to effectively disseminate the party’s manifesto at the sector and village levels.

He acknowledged the party’s shortcomings in the recent elections, attributing them to a lack of representation at the grassroots level compared to other political parties.

In addition to the organizational shift, Dr. Habineza revealed the party’s intention to file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court, seeking the abolition of “Transit Centers,” temporary detention facilities.

The Green Party argues that these centers are ineffective and violate the rights of those detained within them. “We are preparing a lawsuit to be filed with the Supreme Court with the aim of suing the government to permanently close them down,” Dr. Habineza stated.

“We are confident that we will win because we will rely on our Constitution, which grants rights to people who are to be imprisoned for crimes, and on international conventions that Rwanda has committed to.”

The Green Party intends to argue that the Constitution and international conventions are violated by the operation of Transit Centers. They plan to present evidence and testimonies from individuals, including party activists, who have been detained in these facilities.

They contend that only the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and recognized correctional facilities (“amagorero”) should be authorized to detain individuals suspected of crimes.

Dr. Habineza also addressed concerns regarding the use of Transit Centers for the treatment of drug addicts and drunkards, arguing that such cases should be handled in designated medical facilities, based on doctor’s recommendations, not in Transit Centers.

The Green Party aims to advocate for improvements in the justice system to prevent such situations and ensure fair treatment for all citizens. Despite not achieving their desired outcome in the recent elections, Dr. Habineza thanked party members for their efforts and affirmed the party’s commitment to pursuing the goals outlined in their manifesto over the next five years.