Frank Habineza
Encyclopedia
Frank Habineza is the founder and chairman of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda
, a political party formed in August 2009 in Rwanda
.
In its first year, the party made six unsuccessful attempts to register.
As of mid-August 2010 the party was still not registered, and therefore was unable to submit a candidate for the August 2010 Presidential elections
.
in Uganda
in 1977.
He attended the National University of Rwanda
from 1999 to 2004, graduating in Political and Administrative Sciences with a major in Public Administration. While at University he started a student association campaigning for environment protection.
He later became a personal assistant to the Minister of Lands, Environment, Water, Forestry and Mines, Drocella Mugorewera. He was the official correspondent of Rwanda Newsline and UMUSESO while he was a student in Butare. He also worked for the former Rwanda Herald Newspaper, whose publisher Asuman Bikika was declared 'persona non grata' in mid-2002.
Habineza was for three years (2006–2009), National Coordinator for the Nile Basin Discourse Forum in Rwanda (NBDF), a civil society platform that had over 50 NGOs involved in the conservation of river Nile. He resigned in May 2009. He was also President of the Rwanda NGOs Forum on Water, Sanitation and Environment-RWASEF and founder Chairman for the Rwandan Environment Conservation Organisation (RECOR). He resigned from all the NGOs when he joined active opposition politics.
In June 2010 these two organizations distanced themselves from him after a report alleged that donor funds had been diverted for political purposes.
The report, issued by the Ministry of Local Government, named Habineza as one of the people behind "briefcase" NGO's that fleece donors, and named five NGOs as vehicles used by him to obtain funding for political activities.
In April 2010 three leading members of the DGP resigned due to disagreements over Habineza's activities. They said that the party was being manipulated by foreigners, and denied statements made by Habineza that Rwanda was helping the UK and the US plunder timber from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that Rwanda had deployed troops in the DRC.
In July 2010 the vice-president of the DGP, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka
, was found dead near a wetland in Butare
with his head cut off.
He had been repeatedly stabbed.
Habineza was among opposition leaders who called for an independent international investigation into the murder, which may have had a political motivation.
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda
The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda is a green political party in Rwanda. Formed in 2009, the party aimed to run in the 2010 elections. It was, however, prevented from registering. The party's vice-president, André Kagwa Rwisereka, was found beheaded during the election campaign. -External links:...
, a political party formed in August 2009 in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
.
In its first year, the party made six unsuccessful attempts to register.
As of mid-August 2010 the party was still not registered, and therefore was unable to submit a candidate for the August 2010 Presidential elections
Rwandan presidential election, 2010
A presidential election was held in Rwanda on 2010, the second since the Rwandan civil war. The incumbent President Paul Kagame, of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, was re-elected for a second term.-Background:...
.
Background
Habineza was born in MityanaMityana
Mityana is a town in Uganda's Central Region. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Mityana District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
in 1977.
He attended the National University of Rwanda
National University of Rwanda
The National University of Rwanda is the largest university in Rwanda. It is located at in the city of Butare and was established in 1963 by the government in cooperation with the Congregation of the Dominicans from the Province of Quebec.When it was established, the NUR had three divisions The...
from 1999 to 2004, graduating in Political and Administrative Sciences with a major in Public Administration. While at University he started a student association campaigning for environment protection.
He later became a personal assistant to the Minister of Lands, Environment, Water, Forestry and Mines, Drocella Mugorewera. He was the official correspondent of Rwanda Newsline and UMUSESO while he was a student in Butare. He also worked for the former Rwanda Herald Newspaper, whose publisher Asuman Bikika was declared 'persona non grata' in mid-2002.
Habineza was for three years (2006–2009), National Coordinator for the Nile Basin Discourse Forum in Rwanda (NBDF), a civil society platform that had over 50 NGOs involved in the conservation of river Nile. He resigned in May 2009. He was also President of the Rwanda NGOs Forum on Water, Sanitation and Environment-RWASEF and founder Chairman for the Rwandan Environment Conservation Organisation (RECOR). He resigned from all the NGOs when he joined active opposition politics.
In June 2010 these two organizations distanced themselves from him after a report alleged that donor funds had been diverted for political purposes.
The report, issued by the Ministry of Local Government, named Habineza as one of the people behind "briefcase" NGO's that fleece donors, and named five NGOs as vehicles used by him to obtain funding for political activities.
Political career
Habineza founded the Democratic Green Party (DGP) in August 2009 as an alternative to the dominant Rwanda Patriotic Front.In April 2010 three leading members of the DGP resigned due to disagreements over Habineza's activities. They said that the party was being manipulated by foreigners, and denied statements made by Habineza that Rwanda was helping the UK and the US plunder timber from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that Rwanda had deployed troops in the DRC.
In July 2010 the vice-president of the DGP, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka
André Kagwa Rwisereka
André Kagwa Rwisereka was vice-chairman of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, a political party founded in August 2009 in Rwanda.He was found murdered and partially beheaded on 14 July 2010....
, was found dead near a wetland in Butare
Butare
Butare is a city in the Southern Province of Rwanda and capital of Huye district. It was the capital of the former Butare Province, Rwanda, that was dissolved on January 1, 2006....
with his head cut off.
He had been repeatedly stabbed.
Habineza was among opposition leaders who called for an independent international investigation into the murder, which may have had a political motivation.