Two independent candidates, Thomas Habimana and Fred Barafinda Sekikubo on Wednesday, May 29, submitted their candidatures for the July presidential elections to the National Electoral Commission (NEC). ALSO READ: Presidential elections: First independent candidate Herman Manirareba faces signature hurdles Earlier, on May 28, high school teacher Innocent Hakizimana, from Nyabihu District, had also submitted his presidential candidature, becoming the fourth aspirant to submit a candidature for the July presidential elections – after President Paul Kagame; Frank Habineza, the Chairperson of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda; and Herman Manirareba, another independent candidate. With their submissions, the total number of presidential candidates not affiliated with any political party becomes four. Habimana who is a head teacher at Hope Technical Secondary School in Rubavu District, said that his main mission is to continue promoting the peace that was attained. “I was inspired by the need to contribute to the sustainable development that was achieved after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.” ALSO READ: Democratic Green Party’s Frank Habineza files his presidential candidature He also said that managing a high school makes him believe that he is a qualified politician. “You can’t manage a high school without being a politician, and the submission of my candidature highlights my confidence.” Habimana who has been teaching for 13 years said that collecting the 600 required signatures was no hard task. As for Sekikubo, who is attempting for the second time to run for presidency, finding the 600 signatures was not easy but he is “thankful that I managed to get them.” “I am so confident that as time changes, citizens now more than ever understand politics and this gives me more chances to win,” he said. Hakizimana’s file, however, lacked proof that he has no other nationality, among other requirements. NEC will announce a preliminary list of candidates on its website on June 6, and a final list on June 14. Aspirants whose files are incomplete can submit the missing documents before June 14, the date when the final list will be made public, according to NEC. The campaigns will begin on June 22 and close on July 13 before voting gets underway from July 14 to 16.
