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RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0961
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UNCLAS KIGALI 000883 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD PETER COZZENS; AF/C MADELINE 
SEIDENSTRICKER; DRL BRUCE CONNUCK AND STUART CRAMPTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM KPAO PHUM RW
SUBJECT: SPEAKER PROGRAM ON POLITICAL MARKETING RESONATES 
WITH POLITICAL PARTIES AND PUBLIC 
 
REF: 07 KIGALI 00366 
 
¶1. Summary. University of Vermont Professor Edward McMahon 
completed on Saturday, September 29 a highly successful IIP 
speaker program on the role of political parties in a 
democratic society.  McMahon's program included individual 
calls on each of the nine political parties represented in 
Rwanda's parliament, a lecture to 300 students and faculty at 
the Free University of Kigali (ULK), a one-day workshop on 
political party debate, and a two-day workshop on political 
marketing.  McMahon's visit, which came exactly one year in 
advance of the country's next parliamentary elections, 
generated strong interest from program participants and the 
media.  The program served to highlight the USG's continued 
interest in and support for Rwanda's democratic transition 
while imparting practical skills that can be used to 
strengthen the role political parties play in Rwandan 
society.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. Name of Speaker/Date of Program:  Edward McMahon, 
September 22-29, 2007 
 
¶3. Summary of topics addressed/audiences reached: McMahon 
spoke on three topics: the upcoming U.S. presidential 
election; political party debate; and political marketing 
(i.e., soliciting public opinion, establishing party 
platforms, communicating with the public).  His audience 
included university students, academics, political party 
representatives, and civil society leaders. 
 
¶4. Audience size: McMahon engaged approximately 450 Rwandans 
during the course of his program. 
 
¶5. Speaker effectiveness: McMahon was able to communicate 
clearly and effectively and had a knack for adjusting the 
sophistication of his presentations to the knowledge level of 
particular audiences.  Participants at both the political 
debate workshop and the political marketing workshop 
complimented McMahon for his ability to utilize simple 
language to explain complex ideas.  McMahon's ability to 
conduct programs in English and French with equal ability was 
extremely helpful in tri-lingual Rwanda.  McMahon, a seasoned 
traveler to the region, also exercised great patience, 
flexibility and good humor when his luggage failed to arrive 
until four days into his program. 
 
¶6.  Support quality: Support from IIP was outstanding. 
Administrative aspects of McMahon's program were handled 
seamlessly by IIP program officer Mona Esquita. 
 
¶7. Immediate results: McMahon's speaker program emphasized to 
both the Government of Rwanda and to the Rwandan public that 
the USG is interested the country's upcoming parliamentary 
elections and willing to work in partnership with the GOR and 
Rwandan society to help ensure the elections are free, fair, 
and meaningful.  The Ambassador's remarks at the opening of 
the political party debate workshop, which emphasized both 
progress thus far in the reintroduction of multiparty 
politics in Rwanda and the need for further steps to make the 
multiparty system meaningful, were widely covered by the 
Rwandan media, including TV and radio.  McMahon's subsequent 
political marketing workshop provided the political parties 
with some of the basic tools they will need to conduct 
serious campaigns.  All nine political parties participated 
in the workshops, and the debate among them was vigorous and 
sustained. 
 
¶8. Press placement:  TV Rwanda, Radio Rwanda, and two private 
radio stations covered the opening of the political debate 
workshop.  State-run Radio Rwanda interviewed McMahon and PAO 
concerning the workshop and the overall purpose of his visit 
to Rwanda.  Members of the written press also took part in 
the political debate workshop. 
 
¶9. Long-term results: Post organized McMahon's program with 
the assistance of Rwanda's Consultative Forum of Political 
Parties. The Forum has already expressed its interest in 
collaborating on further training programs in advance of next 
year's elections. 
ARIETTI