Rwandans living in western African countries including Ghana, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo rose early on July 14 to cast their vote in the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Polls opened at exactly 7am and closed at 3pm on this day set aside for Rwandans in the diaspora to exercise their civic right to elect leaders to steer the country in the next five years.

Turnout was high with many voters who were casting ballots in Presidential and Parliamentary elections for the first-time expressing excitement in being given the opportunity to participate in such an important duty to their country.

Divine Isimbi, a first-time voter who got the opportunity to exercise her civic right while on a business trip to Ghana said: "I feel very happy to be Rwandan and for the opportunity to able to contribute to my country by voting to choose our leaders. I am very happy and more so that even while traveling, I was still able to find a polling station and cast my vote.”

Murara Umuhoza Layola, a Rwandan studying at the Lancaster University in Ghana also added: "This is a major opportunity to help shape the Rwanda of tomorrow and as a first time voter, I am delighted and excited to be able to participate and contribute in such a major way in the direction and future of our country.”

The 2024 general elections are being held over a three-day period from July 14 to 16, to allow Rwandans of voting age, in and outside Rwanda to exercise their civic right.

Rwandans abroad voted on July 14 at the country’s diplomatic missions and other designated sites, while inside Rwanda, the exercise took place polls on Monday July 15.

On July 16, 27 members of the chamber of deputies, who include representatives of the youth and disabled, will be elected with 24 female members of parliament being elected by electoral colleges.

President Paul Kagame, leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, is seeking reelection and is being contested by two other candidates, Frank Habineza, the leader of the opposition Democratic Green Party and former journalist and Philippe Mpayimana, who is running as an independent in the presidential election.

The general election is being held at a time Rwanda is celebrating 30 years after the country was liberated from the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, which claimed more than a million lives.

In the legislative elections, Rwandans will be choosing among the 589 candidates who have been fronted by various political parties as well as independents to fill the 80 seats lower chamber of parliament.

President Paul Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front currently holds 41 of the 53 seats allocated for parties, while opposition parties have 13 seats, including the Social Democratic Party on 5 and the Liberal Party on 4.

The remaining 27 seats are reserved for women elected by provincial councils and representatives from youth and from people living with disabilities.