As Rwandans voted in the presidential and parliamentary elections on Monday, July 15, patients, staff, and caregivers at different hospitals across the country were facilitated to cast their ballots.
There are 1,247 health posts, 512 health centres, 40 district hospitals, four provincial hospitals, and eight referral hospitals across the country.
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Emmanuel Barayagwiza, a resident from Tumba Sector, Rulindo District, with a severely injured leg, has been hospitalized for three weeks in University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), a referral hospital.
Accompanied by his wife, who was taking care of him, he is among many patients who were facilitated to vote at a polling site just opposite the hospital in Nyarugenge District.
"When I was told I could spend more days hospitalized in CHUK, I thought there was no way to vote. We commend the government initiatives to establish special polling sites for patients. This has enabled me to exercise my right to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections,” he said.
Theresie Uwizeyimana, from Gicumbi District, took her child to CHUK on June 28.
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"For a citizen to vote it means having the right to choose a leader we think can boost development and address our socio-economic issues. That is I have commended the initiative to facilitate us to vote,” added.
The polling site also enabled hospital staff to cast their ballots.
"What is clear is that every Rwandan has been facilitated to vote. As staff in the hospital we are busy treating patients but we were given time to go and vote. We voted and the work was not affected. These are our rights that have been assured,” Emmanuel Ruhuka, a medical doctor at CHUK said.
The New Times also visited Nyarugenge District Hospital which has a polling site inside the facility.
ALSO READ: Polling stations in Kigali City ready for elections day
Bosco Twagiramungu, a resident from Kamonyi District, is one of the hospitalized patients who managed to vote.
"I never skip voting and that is why I was wondering how I can exercise my right. We were told by the hospital management that a polling site was set up near us. This is a commendable initiative that has enabled me to vote for the candidate I think is important. I was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago and I am still hospitalized,” he said.
Dr Fedine Iratubona Urubuto, the Clinical Director at Nyarugenge District Hospital said: "The polling site inside the hospital helped to avoid disruption in service of treating patients given that staff would not go far from their working place. The patients were not burdened with walking a long distance to vote.”
She said that this hospital has capacity to hospitalize 160 patients per day and between 250 and 90 outpatients.
King Faisal Hospital staff and visitors also had a polling station within the hospital premises to enable those admitted in numerous wards exercise their civic rights without any interruptions.
NEC officials managed the voting process and allowed anyone eligible to vote to the voter list.
University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) also announced it set aside a polling site for its staff and hospitalized patients.
The said hospitals are among many other hospitals and health centres that established polling stations to facilitate staff and patients to vote.
What observers said
The New Times caught up with Siyanda Gerald Blacks who is part of the East African Community Election Observation Team at Nyarugenge District Hospital.
ALSO READ: EAC deploys 55 observers for Rwanda election
"We are here to support the processes. Like the norm in East Africa, we learn from each other. We appreciate that Rwanda has done a unique thing that I haven’t seen anywhere and that they have set up a special polling station in the hospital for the sick and medical staff on duty.
That is unique and for me it is important. They also provided for wheelchairs. The site is decorated with the national flag. It is a value for the nation,” he noted.
The East African Community (EAC) has deployed a number of election observation teams to observe the general election in the Republic of Rwanda.
Chief Justice (Emeritus) David K. Maraga, who is also a former Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya, earlier said that the mission was deploying the observation teams to all the 30 districts in the four provinces and the City of Kigali.
The Observers assess adherence to the democratic principles of the EAC as enshrined in the Treaty and offer objective recommendations for continuous improvement for the conduct of such elections.
"The field reports filed by the observation teams will enable us to prepare a Preliminary Statement of the EAC Election Observation Mission, which shall be released on 17th July, 2024. The mission will depart Rwanda on 18th July, 2024,” he said
According to NEC, the partial results of the presidential elections are announced on July 15 (at night), while the provisional parliamentary results will be announced on July 16 (afternoon).
On July 16 (evening), it is expected NEC will announce preliminary results of the parliamentary elections for special interest group categories.
The announcement of provisional results for both the presidential and parliamentary elections is expected not later than July 20, while final results for both the presidential and parliamentary elections will be released not later than July 27, as per NEC.