Over 670 candidates vie for seats in Rwanda’s parliament

The 2024 elections, scheduled for July, have attracted 675 aspirants for parliamentary seats in the Lower House. These include 400 candidates from political parties and 275 candidates in special interest groups, including women, youth, and people with disabilities, according to the National Electoral Commission. Given that the Lower House has 80 seats, the number of aspirants is more than eight times the available positions. Candidature submissions were open from May 17 through May 30. On May 31, the Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Oda Gasinzigwa, told The New Times that NEC received candidatures from 27 independent aspirants for parliamentary elections. For special interest groups, 248 candidates were registered: 201 women, 34 youth, and 13 people with disabilities. ALSO READ: Parliamentary elections: 28 submit candidatures on day one Women candidates, if approved by NEC, will compete for 24 seats, representing a 30% quota of the 80 available positions. Youth candidates will vie for two seats, while those in the people with disabilities category will contend for one seat. Gasinzigwa mentioned that six political parties submitted their lists of candidates. Information provided by these parties shows that the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF Inkotanyi) and its coalition partners submitted 80 candidates, the Liberal Party (PL) 54, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) 66, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) 65, the Ideal Democratic Party (PDI) 55, and The Social Party Imberakuri (PS Imberakuri) 80, totaling 400 candidates. ALSO READ: Elections: When will the Chamber of Deputies be dissolved? Political parties' candidates and independent ones will compete for 53 parliamentary seats in the Lower House. Important dates The NEC will announce a provisional list of candidates on its website on June 6 and a final list on June 14, in accordance with NEC regulations governing the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections. Campaigns for approved candidates will begin on June 22 and end on July 13. Voting will take place from July 14 to 16. A Presidential Order from December 11, 2023, states that the polling date for the President of the Republic and 53 Deputies elected from candidates proposed by political organisations or independent candidates is Monday, July 15, 2024. Rwandan nationals voting from abroad will cast their votes on Sunday, July 14. ALSO READ: Elections: What happens before campaign period begins On July 16, the 24 female Deputies will be elected by specific electoral colleges in accordance with national administrative entities, along with two Deputies elected by the National Youth Council and one Deputy elected by the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

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Over 670 candidates vie for seats in Rwanda’s parliament