KIGALI - The Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, yesterday, revealed that the bloc will send observers to the August presidential elections. Masire-Mwamba said this during a press conference in Kigali.

She said that elections are one way that allows the commonwealth to engage more meaningfully with a country, citing that they are looking forward to this election since it will be the first since Rwanda joined the commonwealth.

"We have already received an invitation to monitor and observe the presidential elections of 2010 and we are in the process of finalizing arrangements on how we can participate,” she said.

"We have also had a briefing by the National Electoral Commission and we are very much looking forward to sending observers. We have every hope that the elections will be free and fair”.

Masire-Mwamba also affirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to work with Rwanda in the promotion of various issues related to the country’s development.

"The leadership here has made it very clear to that they attach value to the principles of the Commonwealth and have also shown that they aspire to have free and fair elections. We are therefore happy to work with Rwanda to promote shared values.”

The official also noted that in a few weeks, the commonwealth will engage in capacity building for media practitioners especially in line with the upcoming events.

"A number of interventions have been planned and will begin to unfold so that Rwandans on the ground can know and understand the impact of joining the Commonwealth.”

"We have planned a workshop that will focus on improving media relations. This will target editors and will be conducted by Commonwealth officials as we go towards the election period”.

Other planned interventions include introduction of various programmes that will significantly contribute to youth development.

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