KIGALI - Barely two months before Rwandans go to polls, the Minister for Local Government; James Musoni, will today appear in the Senate to explain in details the amended electoral code. The changes seek to merge the guidelines on Presidential and Parliamentary elections with those of the grassroots level.

Musoni’s appearance will put a seal on changes that have shuttled between both chambers of Parliament for over close to a year.

The Parliamentary Director General for Communication and Outreach, Augustin Habimana told The New Times that the electoral code had been delayed by process to amend the constitution.

"The motion for the constitutional amendment was passed just as the discussions on the electoral code had began. We all knew, in one way or another, that the constitution would affect the electoral code, so it was decided that the electoral code be shelved until further notice,” he said

Habimana explained that upon adoption, the organic law on presidential and parliamentary elections will automatically become an ordinary law.

Significant among the draft changes is article 66 that relates to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, where the new law says that "before releasing the final list of candidates, a candidate declared disqualified is notified of the disqualification in writing, and he or she is given time to review his or her dossier so that he or she can know the grounds of disqualification.”

This must be done at least 2 days before releasing the final list. Article 30 chapter 2 reads: "Persons whom the courts of last instance have judged to be responsible for insolvability or bankruptcy of corporate bodies under their management and who have not been rehabilitated” will not be eligible to stand in any election.

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