The Liberal Party (french: Parti Libéral, PL) is a liberal political party in

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

led by

Prosper Higiro Prosper Higiro (born 28 January 1961) is a Rwandan politician and member of the Liberal Party as its official chairperson. Since 10 October 2004, Prosper has been a Senator and Vice-President of the Senate representing the Kirehe District Kireh ...

History

The party was established in 1991.Aimable Twagilimana (2015) ''Historical Dictionary of Rwanda'', Rowman & Littlefield, p180 Although it refused to join the government formed by

Sylvestre Nsanzimana Sylvestre Nsanzimana (5 January 1936 – 1999) born in Gikongoro Province, Rwanda served as Prime Minister of Rwanda from 12 October 1991 to 2 April 1992. He belonged to the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development and previo ...

later in the year, it joined

Dismas Nsengiyaremye Dismas Nsengiyaremye (born 1945) served as Prime Minister of Rwanda from 2 April 1992 to 18 July 1993. A native of Gitarama, he was a member of the Republican Democratic Movement and was appointed prime minister following an agreement between Pr ...

's government in April 1992.Arthur S Banks, Thomas C Miller, William R Overstreet & Judith F Isacoff (2009) ''Political Handbook of the World 2009'', CQ Press, p1125 As a result of its involvement with government, and efforts by associates of President

Juvénal Habyarimana Juvénal Habyarimana (, ; 8 March 19376 April 1994) was a Rwandan politician and military officer who served as the second president of Rwanda, from 1973 until 1994. He was nicknamed ''Kinani'', a Kinyarwanda word meaning "invincible". An ethn ...

, the party split into pro- and anti-government factions. It joined the

Rwandan Patriotic Front The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi, french: Front patriotique rwandais, FPR) is the ruling political party in Rwanda. Led by President Paul Kagame, the party has governed the country since its armed wing defeated government forces, winn ...

-led government in 1994 after the end of the genocide.

became leader of the party in 2001. In the 2003 parliamentary elections the party received 11% of the vote and won six of the 53 elected seats. In 2007 Protais Mitali was elected leader of the party. A dispute over the conduct of the elections led to two MPs and five officials being expelled from the party. The 2008 parliamentary elections saw the party's vote share fall to 7.5% as it was reduced to four seats. Higiro was nominated as the party's candidate for the 2010 presidential elections, receiving 1.4% of the vote. In the 2013 parliamentary elections the party received 9% of the vote, winning five seats. It was reduced to four seats in the 2018 parliamentary elections.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Chamber of Deputies elections

References

External links

Official website
{{Rwandan political parties Political parties in Rwanda Political parties established in 1991 1991 establishments in Rwanda