10 Rwandans oppose Kagame third rulling term

Kigali. Rwandan lawmakers found only 10 people in nationwide consultations who opposed possible constitutional changes to allow strongman Paul Kagame a third term in power, a report said Tuesday.

Lawmakers began a national tour last month to gather opinions after both houses of parliament voted in support of constitutional change, backing a petition signed by millions of citizens.

Over 3.7 million people -- over 60 percent of voters -- signed the petition calling for a change to Article 101 of the constitution, which limits the president to two terms, according to Rwandan media.

On Monday, lawmakers submitted their report from the consultations to parliament.

“Of millions of Rwandans consulted by lawmakers on the need to amend Article 101 of the constitution in the past few weeks, only 10 were against the idea,” the New Times newspaper reported Tuesday.

Any change to the constitution would require a vote in support by at least three-quarters of both parliamentary houses, followed by a national referendum.

Kagame, 57, has been at the helm of Rwandan politics since 1994, when an offensive by his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels put an end to a genocide by Hutu extremists that left an estimated 800,000 people dead, most of whom were Tutsis. (AFP)