The National Electoral Commission (NEC) postponed City of Kigali councillors elections that were expected to take place on Friday, August 16.
No new date has been announced. Oda Gasinzigwa, the NEC Chairperson, on Friday, told The New Times that: "If there are changes in dates for elections we have to inform the public. And we are still within the mandated election period."
The term for City of Kigali Councillors ends on August 31. The National Electoral Commission earlier approved a list of 45 candidates to contest in the City of Kigali councillors and Executive Committee members elections.
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The officials to be elected include 23 candidates from Gasabo District, nine from Kicukiro District and 13 from Nyarugenge District. The Electoral College - to elect City of Kigali council members through each district - comprises council members of the sectors composing the districts.
Two councillors (a woman and a man) will be elected from each district while five councillors will be appointed by the President of the Republic to have 11 councillors in total for the City of Kigali.
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This will be followed by electing executive committee members. The Electoral College for City of Kigali Executive Committee members comprise all city council members and council members for all sectors in the city.
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Members of the city’s executive committee are elected for a five-year term of office according to the 2019 law governing the City of Kigali.
The team cannot serve for more than two consecutive terms of office, according to the law. The committee comprises the Mayor of the City of Kigali, the Vice Mayor in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, and the Vice Mayor in charge of Socio-economic Affairs.
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In 2019, the City of Kigali elected Pudence Rubingisa as the Mayor deputized by Nadine Umutoni Gatsinzi as the Vice Mayor in charge of Socio-Economic Affairs, and Ernest Nsabimana who was then in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure. This team was later replaced after Rubingisa was appointed Governor of Eastern Province late last year, and replaced by Samuel Dusengiyumva.
The current deputy city mayors are; Fulgence Dusabimana (urbanization and infrastructure) and Martine Urujeni who is in charge of socio-economic affairs.