Electoral Commission cautions presidential hopefuls

RWAMAGANA – The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has spoken against people claiming to be presidential candidates in the forth coming elections before being nominated. Speaking at a gathering of Muslims drawn from across the Eastern Province, the NEC boss, Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa, stressed that there is no single aspirant that is recognized as a presidential candidate, yet.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
From left: MP Francis Kaboneka, Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa, Mufti Saleh Harerimana and Frank Kayiranga, a NEC official in Rwamagana on Tuesday. (Photo: S. Rwembeho)

RWAMAGANA – The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has spoken against people claiming to be presidential candidates in the forth coming elections before being nominated.

Speaking at a gathering of Muslims drawn from across the Eastern Province, the NEC boss, Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa, stressed that there is no single aspirant that is recognized as a presidential candidate, yet.

According to the NEC boss, a candidate is recognized only after submitting their applications. According to the commission, they will start receiving documents on June 24, 2010.

His remarks were prompted by angry residents who asked the commission to disqualify Victiore Ingabire, the leader of FDU-Inkingi, a party yet to be registered-due to what they called her divisive politics.

"Whoever is masquerading as a candidate behind doors is breaching the law.As far as we are concerned we have not received requests from any candidate so far,” Karangwa said.

Selman Munyakazi, a resident of Rwamagana said Ingabire fostering the genocide ideology with impunity. 

"She should be disqualified because of her genocide ideology. She can’t be treated as an exception, the law calls for punishment of anybody planting seeds of hatred amongst Rwandans,” Munyakazi said.

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