Rwandans living in the diaspora say they are ready to cast their votes in their respective locations during the general election, on Sunday, July 14. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has established a total of 160 polling stations in various countries across different continents to allow Rwandans in the diaspora to exercise their civic duties. A number of countries have multiple polling stations set up. There are 17 polling stations in the USA, while in Australia, Rwandans can vote in four different cities - Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. ALSO READ: Rwanda electoral body transports voting materials to polling stations abroad Speaking to The New Times, Rwandans in various countries said they are ready to vote. “I am prepared to cast my ballot. I will get up early to make it to the Hefei South train station to travel to Nanjing, where our polling station is located,” said Narcisse Mulinga, a Rwandan living in China. “Voting is just one of the several ways that citizens like me may influence public policy and decide what my fellow Rwandans' futures will hold. Naturally, having the ability to vote as a diaspora member demonstrates how devoted Rwanda is to its people, and we shouldn't take that for granted,” he added. In Kenya, Linda Mireille Ngamije, a first-time voter, told The New Times she is excited to be part of the process. “The Rwandan leadership has instilled a sense of belonging and accountability among every Rwandese. Even when you are across the border, being Rwandese is a daily duty. Among those duties is voting, and as a first-time voter, me and my peers are excited to be part of the democratic process in Rwanda as a way to stay connected to our homeland and influence the political landscape,” she said. ALSO READ: Rwanda Elections: Voting to begin at 7AM on Monday Voting in Kenya will be carried out in Mombasa and Nairobi. Karim Jacob, also a Rwandan living in Kenya, said he will wake up very early for the exercise and will take into account what the country has in terms of security, peace, and good governance. For Nganji Kanangire, a Rwandan living in the UK, voting is an important process to express “our needs and hopes” for the country. “As a member of the Rwandan diaspora, I am pleased with the fact I get to cast my vote miles away from my motherland. It is a process and opportunity we have been afforded on numerous occasions, but an opportunity that should not be taken for granted,” he said. Just like many of his counterparts, Kanangire will be voting from the Rwandan High Commission in London, which is his nearest polling station. As foreign missions are continuing to ensure that the elections go well in the diaspora, diplomats say the process is moving well. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, told The New Times that Rwandans have played a good role in the process of preparing for the elections. “We thank Rwandans in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore for their participation during the preparation, especially ensuring that they all registered,” he said. “We have recorded the highest number of voters on the final voters’ list. We urge them to come out early and vote since it’s their civic duty, so they can play a role in building Rwanda,” he added. ALSO READ: Prohibited activities in polling rooms In the three countries where Uwihanganye represents Rwanda, there are a total of six polling stations. One is in Auckland, New Zealand, four in Australia, and one in Singapore. “All voting materials have reached their destinations, and the preparations are done,” he said. Rosemary Mbabazi, Rwanda’s High Commissioner in Ghana, who is also accredited to Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia, said the government has done everything possible to establish polling sites closer to where Rwandans are in the jurisdiction. “We have four sites including Accra in Ghana, Cotonou in Benin, Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire and Lome in Togo. At these four polling stations, close to 400 Rwandans are expected to cast their votes in the presidential and parliamentary elections,” she noted. “Our message to all voters is to encourage them to show up in all their numbers to cast their vote as Rwanda chooses its leaders,” she added.
