NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI— Followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religious faith with a strict lineage, residing in Muko Sector, Gicumbi district have accepted to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary election.

The members of the group have previously boycotted several government programmes including the population census and the recently concluded teachers’ country wide cultural training "itorero”, citing their faith.

Earlier on they had said participating in the election of political leaders contravenes their religious beliefs, requiring them to ‘pay allegiance to Jehovah alone’.

The new development however, follows concerted sensitisation efforts by area local leaders and members of the Electoral Commission on the importance of electing Members of Parliament.

The officials confirmed on Wednesday that 14 members of the faith group had accepted to vote in the September polls.

"The 14 Jehovah witnesses who had earlier refused to take election cards have now accepted to pick them and are ready to vote in the forthcoming polls,” said Richard Gakwerere, an official of the the district National Electoral Commission (NEC). .

"After explaining to them that they are part of the society members of parliament represent, they eventually accepted to pick the voting cards,” said the Sector Executive Secretary, Epimaque Abiyingoma.

In another previous related incident 21 teachers who subscribe to Jehovah Witnesses’ faith in the district refused to attend the countrywide cultural training "itorero” which was organized for all primary and secondary school teachers, arguing that there is only one "itorero” of Jehovah’s witnesses.

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