Police to beef up security for polls

KIGALI - The Rwanda National Police (RNP) has stepped up security measures to ensure safe, smooth and peaceful presidential elections scheduled for Monday August 9. Police Spokesperson, Eric Kayiranga said yesterday in an interview with The New Times, that so far, officers to be deployed at all polling stations across the country, ahead of the elections D-Day have been identified. The force, he said will be deployed on August 8, a day before elections. “Our objective throughout the electoral process is to ensure that they (elections) are conducted safely and smoothly,” Kayiranga said. Among other things, he said, will be to ensure protection of election staff at all 15,434 polling stations across the country, escorting of ballot boxes to and from the polling sites and all election materials. “We are working closely with the National Electoral Commission [NEC] and the community policing committees in the electoral process to maintain security, law and order countrywide,” he said Kayiranga called on the general public to remain calm and cooperative throughout the electoral process. He commended the conduct displayed by the four presidential candidates and their supporters in the ongoing campaigns that kicked off two weeks ago which have recorded no disturbances. Ends