On July 15, over 9 million Rwandans, including approximately 2 million first-time voters who were younger than 18 in the last general elections of 2017, voted at their nearest polling stations nationwide to elect the next head of state and members of Parliament for the upcoming five-year term.
Three candidates were on the ballot: the incumbent president Paul Kagame of the Rwanda Patriotic Front -Inkotanyi, backed by a coalition of political parties; Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda; and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate. Suppose national elections are critical components of a country’s political process, and voting is considered the most significant political action for citizens.
How does the unique political moment of voting unfold within a specific context? What factors influence the choices that voters make at a particular polling station? Many election analyses tend to focus on the detached presentation of the general outcomes of the election results while paying insufficient attention to answering these questions to understand in depth what voters expect from their elected representatives.
As I cast my vote at Ecole Internationale de Kigali, the designated polling station for the Akagali (Cell) population of Kimihurura, these thoughts raced through my mind.
Kimihurura caters to the voters of nine midugudu (or Villages) of Amajyambere, Umutekano, Mutara wa III, Intambwe, Amahoro, Rugarama, Ubumwe, Urwego, and Imihigo, which make up Akagali ka Kimihurura (Kimihurura Cell) that is part of the Umurenge wa Kimihurura (Sector of Kimihurura) in the Gasabo District.
This neighborhood, renowned for its vibrant social scene or as a "cool place to hang out,” is remarkably diverse in its demographic composition. Within Kimihurura cell, the elderly, first-time voters, affluent property owners, casual laborers, civilians, and military personnel coexist.
The site coordinator at our polling station, a woman in her early thirties, reflected this rich tapestry of residents. At 7:03 am, she called for our attention and stated in Kinyarwanda:
"Good morning, everyone! My name is Joseline Kandama. My team and I are happy to show you the empty ballot boxes before we begin the swearing-in ceremony. This ceremony will formally initiate the voting process. "
Five minutes later, the voting began. The atmosphere was festive. Mama Jeanne organized a group that came early in the morning and cleaned the polling station. Other volunteers from various villages in Kimihurura Cell pooled their money to decorate the polling station with "Ibiseke" (traditional Rwandan decorations) and ribbons in the national flag's colors.
They also hired a DJ to provide music throughout the day. From 6.45 am, Christiane Muhimpundu, the Executive Secretary of Kimihurura Cell, welcomed voters and assisted with the voting process until the end.
To assist voters, the doors of each voting room were labeled with alphabetical letters, displaying the list of assigned voters for that room. A volunteer from NEC was stationed at each room’s entrance to help voters locate their designated voting area.
When entering the voting room, voters must present either a physical or digital ID for identification. Another volunteer would then check the ID, register the voter, and direct them to the area where they could access the list of presidential candidates.
Voters then proceeded to the private voting booth, where they could mark their choice by ticking or fingerprinting the candidate of their preference. After casting their vote for the presidential election, the same process was repeated for voting in the parliamentary election.
Finally, a fourth volunteer applied indelible ink on the voter’s finger or nail, visually indicating that the individual had completed the entire voting procedure, thereby participating in the decision-making process to shape the country’s future.
After voting, I stood in the hallway and watched other Kimihurura voters. Helped by two people, 86-year-old voter Annonciata Mukabasora arrived in a wheelchair at 7:45 a.m. Asked why she was coming so early, Mukabasora said she could not risk missing the chance to renew her confidence in Paul Kagame.
He promised that we would stop running the world like wild animals. " We have found security and stability; my husband was put to rest in our ancestors’ land. This will be the case for me shortly and our children when their time comes.”
55-year-old Devota Habiyambere voted for Kagame because he promised to improve livelihoods and social services for all and realized his promise. "How would I have raised my five children when I lost my husband fifteen years ago? My teen daughter got pregnant but could continue studying, thanks to the kindergarten created in our neighborhood,” she said.
Mucyo Manzi, 23, and his peers, all first-time voters in their late teens or early twenties, felt a strong sense of civic duty and believed their vote could influence the country's direction. "We are the custodians of the future, and when we vote, Rwanda decides,” said Kesha, 19. For Iranzi, 21, "President Kagame pledged to put our needs first. Young people are already shaping the fate of the country. Tomorrow, it will be our turn. Kagame always fulfills his promises. ”
Kimihurura voters who re-elected Paul Kagame serve as a reminder that doing what you say, a quality rare in politics, is a fundamental part of being reliable. This may explain why so many Rwandans trust their leader, Paul Kagame, decade after decade.
Dr. Alice Urusaro Uwagaga Karekezi is a lecturer at the Center for Conflict Management(CCM) at the University of Rwanda(UR).