NYARUGENGE - The European Union (EU) Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Electoral Commission (NEC), to act as observers in the upcoming elections.

The signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kigali. The head of the EU delegation, Ambassador David MacRae, signed the agreement with the NEC President, Chrysologue Karangwa.

"It is a perfect observation mission. Observers will be coming and going but we hope to have a big number of them who will have freedom to move in several parts of the country,” MacRae said.

The EU envoy commended the document, which describes what is required of an observer. He added that they would only be required to watch the code of conduct. He also revealed that the mission will be led by a British Member of the European Parliament.

The mission is driven towards transparency both in the country and abroad. People will know that free and fair elections were conducted, he explained. 

NEC president Chrysologue Karangwa had earlier asked election observers to be neutral, noting that a good election observer needs to be someone who is interested in the success of elections and not just in making negative reports about places they have not even reached.

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