A total of 31 youth candidates are in Musanze District in Northern Province since Monday, July 8 to campaign for two parliamentary seats reserved for the youth. ALSO READ: Here's how youth MPs will be elected Among these aspirants, eight are female and 23 are male, all vowing to advocate for the needs and rights of young Rwandans if elected to Parliament. ALSO READ: Rwanda Decides: Youth comprise 42% of final voters’ list This campaign stop in Musanze marks the third leg of their journey, following previous rallies in Nyarugenge District, Kigali City on July 2, and Rwamagana District in Eastern Province on July 3. The youth campaign trail, which began later than those of other political candidates on July 2, will cover five provinces in total, in a bid to reach young voters across the country. ALSO READ: What Rwandan youth expect from the next MPs The general campaign for parliamentary and presidential elections began on June 22 and will conclude on July 13. The elections are expected to begin with Rwandans abroad voting for the Head of State and 53 Members of Parliament on July 14, while local citizens will cast their votes on July 15. Rwanda’s Parliament, with a lower chamber of 80 MPs, reserves 27 seats for special interest groups, including women, youth, and people with disabilities. ALSO READ: Nearly 600 candidates scramble for 80 seats in Parliament The youth candidates’ fate lies in the hands of an Electoral College composed of members from the National Youth Council (NYC). This body includes nine representatives from each of the 30 districts across the country, totaling 270 electors at the final stage. As they campaign in each district, candidates face an electoral committee comprising nine members from each district. The total number of committee members varies according to the number of districts within the province and those who were able to attend. According to Anathole Ntezimana, the Social-Economic Mobilization Officer at the Rwanda National Youth Council, the campaign began in Nyarugenge, Kigali, proceeded to Rwamagana District, and now to Musanze District. Subsequent stops include Karongi District in Western Province on July 10 and Muhanga District in Southern Province on July 12. “Each campaign event is held in a selected district within the province, where candidates are given 10 minutes to present their manifestos before the Electoral College. The final voting will occur on July 16 at a designated polling station and results will be announced on the same day,” he explained. Ntezimana emphasized the importance of discipline and adherence to the National Electoral Commission’s guidelines, urging candidates to maintain punctuality and respect the electoral rules and regulations.
