US condemns Kagame’s decision to run for third term

Paul Kagame has announced he will run for a third term

The United States have criticised Paul Kagame’s decision to run for a third term in office and said it was deeply concerned and disappointed by his decision.

Kagame used the opportunity afforded by the December 18 referendum, which saw voters endorse constitutional amendments, to decide to run for a third seven-year term in 2017.

John Kirby, State Department spokesman said in a statement, “With this decision, President Kagame ignores a historic opportunity to reinforce and solidify the democratic institutions the Rwandan people have for more than 20 years laboured so hard to establish.”

 “The United States believes constitutional transitions of power are essential for strong democracies and that efforts by incumbents to change rules to stay in power weaken democratic institutions.

“We are particularly concerned by changes that favour one individual over the principle of democratic transitions.

“As Rwanda moves towards local elections this year, presidential elections next year, and parliamentary elections in 2018, we call upon the government of Rwanda to ensure and respect the rights of its citizens to exercise their freedom of expression, conscience, and peaceful assembly- the hallmarks of true democracies,” Kirby added.

The Rwandan President had announced on Friday that he would run for a third term in line with the constitutional amendment which got a large support during the referendum.

Fayemi defends N6.08 trillion budget

Fayemi and wife at the thanksgiving service in Ado-Ekiti

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the N6.08 trillion budget proposal for 2016 presented before the National Assembly by President Buhari was not too much considering the challenges facing the country.

He also added that Ministry of Power, Works and Housing could not say the amount appropriated to it will be enough to turn around the infrastructural facilities considering the state they are in at the moment. In a thanksgiving service organized by his former aides to mark his ministerial appointment, he said "The former governor of Lagos State who superintends the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing with about N433 billion budgetary provision cannot say the amount is enough to turn around the facilities of this country if you look at what is involved."

He also lamented the neglect the neglect of the mineral potentials of the country since independence and said the sector has the potential to turn around the fortune of the economy. He said the dwindling income from oil means that Nigeria needs to look inward to generate revenue. 

He added that the budget is aimed at improving the lives of the citizens and the government will work hard to actualize the focus of this budget. 

Zimbabwe changes national currency

Zimbabwe has announced that it will make the Chinese yuan legal tender after Beijing confirmed it would cancel $40m in debts. Zimbabwe  abandoned its own dollar in 2009 after hyperinflation, which had peaked at around 500bn%, rendered it unusable.