New Rwanda opposition party pulls out of parliament election citing lack of time

KIGALI, Rwanda – A newly registered opposition party in Rwanda says it won't run in September's parliamentary elections.

The leader of the Democratic Green Party, Frank Habineza, said Tuesday his party had too little time to organize. The party was legally recognized by the government for the first time Friday after a four-year effort.

Haibeza said the party would instead prepare for local elections in 2016 and the country's presidential vote in 2017.

President Paul Kagame's Rwanda Patriotic Front dominates politics in Rwanda.

Human Rights Watch said the September vote will not be different from that last two elections in which the Kagames's RPF dominated. The group's Carina Tertsakian said Rwanda needs to do more than register "an already weakened party at the 11th hour" to show its commitment to democracy.