Challenges for Rwandan Musicians to win a seat in Parliament

Rwandan Pop star, Safi Madiba said that He wishes to be a member of parliament (Photo: Igihe.com) 

Music and politics both command huge followings in East Africa, as players in the two spheres enjoy immense fame. And lately, the lines have been blurring between the two, as these countries see a trend for musicians wading into politics.

In Uganda, one of the most popular musicians in the East African region, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, last year won a parliamentary seat after emerging victorious in election. In Kenya, another well-known musician, Charles Kanyi alias Jaguar, won a parliamentary seat where he stands for Starehe constituency.

Kyagulanyi and Kanyi follow the success story of Tanzania’s Joseph Haule, popularly known as Professor Jay. After being in the music industry for more than a decade and rising to become one of his country’s top entertainers, he won the Mikumi Constituency parliamentary seat in 2015.

The wind that is directing musicians into politics doesn't yet blow in Rwanda openely, it is in cold.  Recently, former Urban Boys member who is now doing his career solo Niyibikora Safi best known as Safi Madiba demonstrated his will to be a member of parliament, Yet he didn't stand on his feet and show how he will do it to follow his fellow musicians footsteps.

In human life, nothing comes for free, it requires hardworking. But when it comes to politics and elections, it requires sacrifices. Dreams to be a legislator in above east African countries for Bobi Wine,  Jaguar and Professor Jay became true. But in Rwanda the environment looks challenging to this politico-domino effect.

First challenge  is the election system in which elections is formatted. There are two systems of election:First Past the Post and Proportional representation system. First Past the Post (FPTP) system, can be understood as the voting method in which the citizens of a constituency cast their votes for a candidate and the one getting majority votes win the elections. As against, Proportional Representation (PR) is an electoral system wherein citizens cast their votes to the political parties and seats are allocated to the parties according to the voting strength they possess.In Rwanda we use the latter.

Proportional representation system of electing leaders refers Rwanda as a single constituency, victory is calculated around the country not a constituency. Rwanda, being a single constituency where election competition is done on national level, this can discourage political newcomers.

Most of musicians are youth. It is well known that African youth are not interested in discussing political issues. When dreams of becoming politicians come,  they find themselves without political profile on the ground fulls of men and women who have been in the game over years. While Music stars want to use their fame to reach at the top of their dreams, they will fail because proportional representation system in the case of Rwanda, requires first to build profile in political activities before you jump on stage to compete for parliamentary seat.

To win a parliamentary seat in Rwanda, instead of using their fame to win elections, Musicians are required to build a political legacy that will help them to mobilize voters nationwide tougher than constituency in countries where election system is First Past the Post.

The second challenge is that Rwanda parliament seats are few in numbers. Article 75 of the National constitution states that Chamber of Deputies is composed of eighty (80) Deputies. Fifty-three (53) Deputies elected from a fixed list of names of candidates proposed by political organisations or independent candidates elected by direct universal suffrage based on proportional representation. Twenty- four (24) women elected by specific electoral colleges in accordance with the national administrative entities;  Two (2) Deputies elected by the National Youth Council;  One (1) Deputy elected by the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

Rwanda is a single constituency. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda's administration maps are divided into constituencies.With this kind of administration divisions, Parliament becomes wider to make sure that every constituency is represented. Rwanda parliament is composed by 80 seats, Uganda parliament has 426 seats, Tanzania has 392 seats and Kenya parliament has 349 seats. In Rwanda,  a Deputy represents a whole country, in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania MPs represent constituencies.

In Rwanda there are eleven political parties. Many of them are founding cadres in political parties who are not yet achieve their dreams, others are politico-born talents who are struggling to win a single seat among fifty-three seats that are directly elected.
A simple formula: when commodities are few on market, price increases. When suppliers are many,  price decreases. Rwanda, being not divided into constituencies, decreased number of seats in parliament.

This is a challenging factor for political newcomers to find a breakthrough. Because newcomer in politics from music needs to convince first his/her party that he deserves to be a candidate. On this way,  he/she finds himself/herself competing with founding cadres who are more experienced that him/her. Or find himself head to head with political parties that are more institutionalized than him when he/she is independent.

This trajectory requires  to wait  for a moment  while most of musicians are youth hot-heads who want quick things.

There is a political will

To be a member of parliament in Rwanda is accepted for all Rwandans regardless religion, economic status,.. It simply requires to follow rules and regulations. Most of musicians are youth, They are welcomed.

Last year before 2017 presidential election, Speaking to Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, President Paul Kagame urged young people to join politics,  saying the future of the country is in their hands.

Paul  Kagame who was 33 when he abandoned his military course in the US to lead a four-year liberation war that resulted in the liberation of Rwanda and the end of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, said that nothing should be taken for granted and the youth should seize the opportunity and be more active in politics.

He told the youth that the consequences of being passive or having an I-do-not care attitude toward politics can be detrimental to nation building.

“Participating in politics is taking responsibility to contribute to nation building. That’s why young people should be supported to engage. But most importantly engage more and better,” the President said.

Rwanda like the rest of the East African countries has young population. This alone means the youth have their work cut out. For years, young people are told that they are the leaders of tomorrow, a tomorrow that never really comes if you stay sitting on your hands waiting on luck.

In Uganda for example, popular musician Bobi Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi) won an election to become the Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East. His election created such a huge buzz that even international media took interest in it with many even wrongly referring to him as a reggae artist. Many people young people can learn from his story as a young man who has used his talent to create influence among his peers.

Although many know him for his music, he also made an effort to always put his name to efforts of social justice. This gradually built his profile not only as someone who cares but one who was able to deliver change if given the chance. I remember the time he compelled the city council authorities to fix a sink hole on a road that had proven dangerous to road users.

Bobi Wine has taken time to study the prevailing political dynamics and decided to start a new narrative for their peers.

To win a parliamentary seats,  Our Musicians have first to create political influence among their circles to demonstrate their political ideas, Instead of waiting for dreams to come and then going out  abruptly say "I want to be a member of parliament." just because they have dreamt to be politicians.

About the author

KARANGWA Janvier is a journalist. He has a bachelor of arts in journalism and communications from University of Rwanda.

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