Patients from hospitals across the country were given an opportunity to exercise their civic rights to participate in the parliamentary elections as authorities designated polling rooms within health facilities. It was the first time patients, their attendants and hospital workers were being given an opportunity to vote from hospital premises. At Gisenyi District Hospital in Rubavu District patients were supported by their relatives, nurses in their aprons and others were queuing in front of the polling rooms just adjacent to the maternity pavilion. Ancille Mukantagara, a resident of Cyanzarwe Sector in Rubavu, who is attending to her hospitalised daughter at Gisenyi District Hospital, said: “It shows that everyone has the right to vote. Our leaders help us to achieve many things, like Mutuelle de Santé. For example, we pay our insurance fees and we came here only with our identification cards. This is yet another positive development.” Christophe Kamuhanda, who has been hospitalised at Gisenyi District Hospital for three years, said this was a good step forward for the country. “I’m glad I’ve been able to vote, but next time, we want candidates to be allowed to campaign from hospitals so that we can clearly understand their manifestos and choose accordingly,” he said. Sheikh Djamada Kalimunda, the Electoral Provincial Supervisor in Western Province, said the National Electoral Commission decided to put additional polling rooms in major hospitals in order to help everyone to exercise their right. “NEC tries to improve its operations as time goes on, in order to help every citizen access good services and support them to make a good choice. At the end of every vote, we do a report which the commission bases on to improve the next ones. I think even this gap of campaigning in hospitals will be examined to see if there is anything which can be done,” he said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
