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| Rwanda MPs back scrapping presidential term limits | Rwanda MPs back scrapping presidential term limits |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Parliamentarians in Rwanda have voted to support a change to the constitution that would allow President Paul Kagame to stand for a third term in 2017. | Parliamentarians in Rwanda have voted to support a change to the constitution that would allow President Paul Kagame to stand for a third term in 2017. |
| More than 3.7 million Rwandans signed a petition asking parliament to abandon two-term presidential limit - a change that will now be put to a referendum. | More than 3.7 million Rwandans signed a petition asking parliament to abandon two-term presidential limit - a change that will now be put to a referendum. |
| Mr Kagame has always said it is up to the Rwandan people to decide. | Mr Kagame has always said it is up to the Rwandan people to decide. |
| Rights groups have accused the Rwandan authorities of silencing the opposition and stifling the media. | Rights groups have accused the Rwandan authorities of silencing the opposition and stifling the media. |
| BBC Africa Live: News updates | BBC Africa Live: News updates |
| Pro-government Rwandan newspaper The New Times says hundreds of people turned up at parliament on Tuesday morning to watch the debate on presidential term limits. | Pro-government Rwandan newspaper The New Times says hundreds of people turned up at parliament on Tuesday morning to watch the debate on presidential term limits. |
| Those who want Mr Kagame to stay credit him with "leading the struggle to stop the 1994 genocide", it says. | Those who want Mr Kagame to stay credit him with "leading the struggle to stop the 1994 genocide", it says. |
| On Monday, a ruling party RPF message was circulated on social media in the capital, Kigali, urging people to take buses to parliament to support Mr Kagame. | On Monday, a ruling party RPF message was circulated on social media in the capital, Kigali, urging people to take buses to parliament to support Mr Kagame. |
| The small opposition Green Party has been the only dissenting voice calling for the constitution not to be altered to allow for a third term, and petitioning instead for a single presidential term to be changed from seven to four years. | The small opposition Green Party has been the only dissenting voice calling for the constitution not to be altered to allow for a third term, and petitioning instead for a single presidential term to be changed from seven to four years. |
| Last month, it went to the Supreme Court to try and stop the move to change the constitution, but the party was unable to get legal representation | |
| It has been given until 29 July to find a lawyer to take on the case. | |
| In neighbouring Burundi, there have been violence clashes following a decision by President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek in a third term in elections next week. | In neighbouring Burundi, there have been violence clashes following a decision by President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek in a third term in elections next week. |
| The RPF's rebel movement took power in Rwanda after the genocide in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. | The RPF's rebel movement took power in Rwanda after the genocide in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. |
| President Kagame, who has won two elections, has been hailed by his supporters for driving rapid economic growth. | President Kagame, who has won two elections, has been hailed by his supporters for driving rapid economic growth. |