Parliamentary elections: 28 submit candidatures on day one

The National Electoral Commission (NEC), on May 17, received 28 individual candidatures of parliamentary aspirants in the forthcoming July elections, according to information from the institution. That was on the first day of the period during which presidential and parliamentary seat hopefuls can submit their candidatures. The submission of candidatures begun on May 17 and ends on May 30. Twenty-five of them are people who want to represent special groups; women (accounting for 20), youth (three), and people with disabilities (two); and three independent aspirants. The Chamber of Deputies has 80 members: 53 elected from a fixed list of names of candidates proposed by political organisations or independent candidates elected by direct universal suffrage based on proportional representation; 24 women elected by specific electoral colleges following the national administrative entities; two elected by the National Youth Council; and one elected by the National Council of Persons with Disabilities. ALSO READ: Elections: When will the Chamber of Deputies be dissolved? Venuste Icyitegetse who submitted a candidature in the youth category, told The New Times that what inspired him is that he wants to represent the youth in Parliament by amplifying their voice, work with them from the village level, listen to their problems, and do advocacy for them at parliamentary level. Currently, he is an economic and human capital development officer in Amahoro Cell, Muhima Sector, in Nyarugenge District. He said that he will encourage the youth to use their energy to contribute to the country’s development. For him, a greater internship programme for graduates is critical to youth employment. He pointed out that the initiative is now under Rwanda Development Board (RDB), but more efforts were needed. “We should work with different institutions, both private and public, to help a young person who has at least completed secondary school to get professional internship or internship in general,” he said, noting that that can help fresh graduates to get the practical skills needed on the job market. Vestine Tuyishime, another aspirant who filed a candidature with NEC, in the women category, said that there are issues in the community that she wants to play a role in addressing once she becomes a legislator. In Jenda Sector, Nyabihu District, Tuyishime works for a programme trying to curb malnutrition among children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. For instance, she said, there are people who live in disaster-risk areas that lack infrastructure and might be in danger of losing their lives during rainy seasons. “If elected, I will do advocacy such that they will be relocated to safe places, especially as resident’s welfare is within the government’s agenda,” she said. Good turn-up on day one NEC Chairperson Oda Gasinzigwa told the New Times that the turn-up for the submission of candidatures was good on day one, and that all categories as provided for by the law, were represented. The commission started off by receiving the candidate representing the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) for the presidential position – Paul Kagame. ALSO READ: Presidential polls: Kagame submits candidature Later, RPF also submitted to NEC its list of candidates for parliamentary positions. “RPF Inkotanyi submitted a list of 80 candidates including our own members and members proposed by the five parties that entered into coalition with RPF for the parliamentary elections,” said RPF Secretary General Wellars Gasamagera. On the same day, NEC received individual aspirants’ candidatures in the youth, women, and people with disabilities categories. It also received a list of 54 candidates from Liberal Party, for the parliamentary polls. NEC is scheduled to announce the final list of candidates on June 14.

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Parliamentary elections: 28 submit candidatures on day one