The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has set up 160 polling stations in various countries to facilitate voting for Rwandans who will cast their votes in this month’s presidential and parliamentary elections from abroad.

According to NEC, there are 2,593 polling stations in total, including 2,433 within the country. Rwandans who are abroad will, on July 14, vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections. Within the country, voting will start the next day and conclude on July 16.

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Charles Munyaneza, the NEC executive secretary, told The New Times on Wednesday, July 11, that elections in the diaspora will take place in 70 countries, supervised by 44 Rwandan diplomatic missions.

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He said: "Some of our foreign missions are serving other polling stations in other countries. For example, the embassy in France is coordinating with countries like Spain and Italy, appointing representatives to oversee the elections there.

"Our High Commission in South Africa is also coordinating with neighbouring countries, including Lesotho and Mauritius.”

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Polling stations were established in places where there are at least 50 registered voters.

Munyaneza noted that all polling stations abroad are ready, with all voting materials already in place.

In the diaspora community, the youth comprise 22 per cent. Women are 47 per cent out of the 77,138 registered voters. The number of diaspora voters has nearly tripled compared to previous elections when there were 22,000 diaspora voters.