However, Dr. Habineza who serves as the chairperson of DGPR was notably excluded from the parliamentary listâ€"a decision he describes as carefully considered.
He recently spoke to IGIHE about his political journey, the challenges of the election, and his plans for the future of the Green Party.
Electoral defeat and party realignment
After the election, Dr. Habineza withdrew from the public eye, a move he attributes to his focus on restructuring his party internally.
"When you don't win, some people feel discouraged, and it's the leader's responsibility to reunite and motivate the team," he explained.
Despite the electoral loss, the DGPR remained resolute in realigning and reorganizing its structures to face future challenges.
Dr. Habineza briefly visited Sweden but returned quickly, to continue with his law studies and party responsibilities.
"During my time in Parliament, I learned a lot, but I hadn't studied law yet. There were areas where I felt I lacked expertise, particularly in advocating for the Rwandan people. I started studying law while in Parliament, and I'm happy to say that I'm in my second year now. I'll be finishing next year," he shared.
Decision to run for president again
Dr. Habineza's decision to run for president again in 2024, despite his previous defeat in 2017, was a thoughtful one.
He emphasizes that it was not driven by personal ambition but by a desire to contribute to Rwanda's democratic development.
"We realized that although I ran in 2017 and didn't succeed, we gained valuable insights," he noted.
According to the 47-year-old, the DGPR's participation in the election was about presenting a platform for their vision of national leadership.
Reflecting on the 2024 elections, Dr. Habineza observed significant improvements in the election environment.
"In 2024, the security situation was excellent," he said, noting that local leaders were more receptive and the police provided necessary protection throughout the campaign.
The future
Despite two electoral defeats, Dr. Habineza remains committed to the political process.
"What could prevent me from running again?" he asked, emphasizing that the party's confidence in him is a strong motivator.
He also draws inspiration from leaders like Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, who ran for president four times before eventually succeeding.
"Running once or twice doesn't mean giving up; it means correcting past mistakes through continued effort," he explained.
Dr. Habineza also indicated that he is open to stepping aside if the party identifies a more capable candidate.
For now, he is focused on strengthening the party's election strategy, particularly by increasing its representation at polling stations.
"We had plans for this, but our resources fell short," he admitted. Improving election monitoring will be a key priority moving forward.
Financial challenges
Dr. Habineza discussed the financial challenges his party faced, explaining that five political parties contested the 2018 parliamentary elections and received about Frw100 million each.
"We used those funds to purchase a party house, which we later sold to finance the campaign," he said.
While the sale of the property came with additional debt, he confirmed that the debts have now been settled.
Looking ahead, Dr. Habineza is hopeful that the party will be reimbursed for campaign expenses, as the law allows political parties that garner more than 5% of the vote to recover part of their costs.
"We are optimistic that we'll receive reimbursement, which we can use to buy another property," he said.
Dr. Habineza revealed that the party spent over Frw300 million during the 2024 election campaign.
Exclusion of party member from parliamentary list
A recent development that attracted attention was the removal of one of the DGPR's candidate from the parliamentary list just before swearing-in.
Carine Maombi, who was second on the party's list, was unexpectedly replaced by Jacqueline Masozera Icyizanye after issues arose regarding her candidacy.
Dr. Habineza explained, "At the last minute, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau informed us that there were issues with her candidacy."
While the matter is under investigation, he clarified that it has not yet reached the courts, and the party considers the issue resolved for now.
IGIHE
