A high turnout was registered as Rwandans in the diaspora cast their votes on Sunday, July 14, a day before the rest of the country head to the polls. By press time, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) had not shared the statistics of how many people voted in various foreign countries, but an official from the institution told The New Times that the numbers were high. According to some statistics gleaned from various countries, the turnout was more than 100%. For instance, in Kenya, the number of Rwandans who registered to vote in Nairobi was 4,000, but more people turned up for the polls. ALSO READ: Prohibited activities in polling rooms In Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, the total number of expected voters was 375, but a total of 387 turned up, implying a 103 percent turnout. The NEC 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 had 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. Diaspora-based Rwandans in several Asian and Pacific countries were the first to conclude the electoral process, while those in the Americas were the last, due to differences in time zones. Meanwhile, on Monday, July 15, polling stations in the country will open at 7 a.m. for the general elections, and voting will be closed at 3 p.m. Vote counting will begin as soon as the voting stops. There are three candidates for the Presidency: Paul Kagame of the RPF-Inkotanyi, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, who is an independent. Up to 589 candidates are vying for 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.
