On Tuesday, July 16, at 10 a.m., the electoral college of 255 youth representatives convened at Gasabo District in Kigali to cast their votes for two parliamentary representatives in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies. This was as other members of electoral colleges around the country participated in elections for parliamentary representatives of special interest groups; women, youth, and persons with disabilities. ALSO READ: Persons with visual impairment welcome use of braille ballot paper Evariste Murwanashyaka, an election observer from Rwanda Civil Society Platform, shared his observations on the electoral process, noting that: “The overall process of the voting was smooth and orderly. The National Election Commission (NEC) effectively briefed voters on the voting procedure, and the polling commenced promptly at 10 am as scheduled.” ALSO READ: PWDs: We are looking forward to meaningful representation in parliament Murwanashyaka praised the pre-election campaigns, noting a significant improvement from previous elections. “I was particularly impressed by the extensive campaigning by most of the candidates, who travelled to different districts to present their manifestos and the changes they aim to implement if elected. Unlike in previous elections, where candidates were given just a few minutes to campaign before voting, this approach allowed the Electoral College to gather comprehensive information about each candidate.” ALSO READ: Youth parliamentary candidates asked to promote skills development The observer highlighted the smooth voting process, emphasising that all necessary materials arrived at the polling site on time. However, he expressed concern over some candidate’s presence at the polling site. He noted the potential for candidates to influence voters if they were present at the polling site. He noted that a candidate who is a member of the National Youth Council had the right to vote and be present at the polling site, while other candidates who were not members did not have this privilege. He expressed hope that changes will be implemented in the future to address these concerns and ensure a more equitable process. “The elected youth MPs must focus on the concerns of the youth, as they are their representatives and advocates. There are numerous issues affecting young people that need to be addressed,” he said. He also raised concerns about the budget allocated to the Youth Council, deeming it insufficient. “The budget that the government is allocating them is not enough to cover all their needs or help them work as the youth representatives. As the head of programmes at CLADHO, an umbrella of human rights organizations in Rwanda, Murwanashyaka has firsthand experience engaging with youth nationwide. He noted, “The budget allocated to the District Committee is around Rwf10 million, which is inadequate.” Murwanashyaka also highlighted the need to restructure the Business Development Fund (BDF) to better support youth. When evaluating how BDF supports youth in securing funds for income-generating activities, the process appears lengthy, he added, stressing that BDF should endeavor to enhance its outreach to a larger segment of young people.
