Drivers’ wives trained on elections

A group of 130 members from an association for wives of drivers in the country were yesterday sensitized on elections, human rights and democracy at Saint Paul, Kigali. These were representing the 1187 other association members from various parts of the country. According to the association president, Mariam Murorunkwere, the sensitization was aimed at equipping these women and their families with knowledge of how to successfully undertake elections by trusting and prudently using their mandate through acknowledging their freedoms and democracy. The training involves rules guiding political parties and how they are supposed to conduct themselves during elections, civic education, elections and democracy and the requirement of every citizen to responsibly elect their leaders. “Since we have children of voting age, and we have a pivotal role in decisions made in our homes, we saw it as strategic to sensitize fellow women who will pass it on to other home members,” explained Murorunkwere. Among the trainers was former Member of Parliament and current FPR candidate Esperance Mwiza, who applauded the act of selecting women for the training. “Women are good advocates because they have the power to influence their husbands and children more than any one else. So, this move was strategic for this purpose,” Mwiza underscored. “I was called upon by this association to sensitize them on the rules guiding political parties, democracy and freedoms, as pre-requisites for free and fair elections,” Mwiza told The New Times The association president revealed that it is involved in various developmental initiatives such as rice growing projects in Rusizi, tailoring and other small-scale businesses which have uplifted its members and their families’ standards of living. A senior National Electoral Commission (NEC) officer, Protais Rumanzi, urged women to participate fully in the upcoming September 15 Parliamentary elections. The training was sponsored by the National Electoral Commission. Ends