Supreme Court releases list of Senatorial candidates

KIGALI - The Supreme Court has released the list of candidates who passed the screening exercise and got the nod to contest in next month’s senatorial elections. On August 17, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) forwarded, to the Supreme Court, 62 candidates vying for the 14 elective seats, for vetting. They include aspirants for seats representing the four Provinces and Kigali City, and two representatives from public and private institutions of higher learning. NEC Executive Secretary, Charles Munyaneza, yesterday said that they were awaiting the vetting exercise before announcing the names of the contestants. “We have been waiting for the vetting process to be completed so that we can announce the final list,” Munyaneza said. He disclosed that of the 62 candidates, the Supreme Court confirmed 58, with four disqualified. According to Munyaneza, three of the candidates were disqualified on academic grounds while one was disqualified because he did not submit a valid criminal record certificate from the prosecution. The law requires candidates for senatorial seats to at least have a university degree or must have worked in a senior government office. “Three candidates did not show evidence of the academic requirements, while the fourth presented an expired criminal record document,” Munyaneza said. Of the 16 candidates who vied for the Southern Province slot, all qualified. The Eastern Province had 15 candidates and two were disqualified. Western Province had 11 and two were disqualified. All the five candidates from the Northern Province qualified as well as the nine from Kigali City. All the five contestants on the slot for Public Universities and the sole candidate for Private Universities qualified.Of the 26 members of the Senate, only 14 will be elected. The President will nominate eight others while the Consultative Forum for Political Parties will nominate four. Two people will be elected in the Northern Province, one in Kigali City, while three people will be elected in each of the other provinces. The number of Senators representing provinces is based on the number of registered voters in the constituencies, and the province with the highest number of voters gets the highest number of seats in the Senate. The electoral colleges at the provincial level will be composed of district and sector councils while those representing universities will be composed of only permanent lecturers, who are Rwandan nationals and registered in their respective institutions. Munyaneza says that the next step would be the campaigns slated to kick-off September 6. The list of approved candidates PROVINCE/ KIGALI CITY NAMES OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES KIGALI CITY 1. KANYANGE Phoebe2. MALONGA Pacifique3. MUTANGANA GAPARAYI André4. MBARAGA Paul5. MUKABATSINDA Anathorie6. GAKUBA Jeanne d’Arc7. MUKABERA Consolata8. UWIMANA André Léon9. MUKAMA WellarsEASTERN PROVINCE 1. KARIMBA Richard2. MUTEZINTARE John Bosco3. MUKAMPABUKA Vérène4. RUGEMA Michel5. SIBOMANA Gérard6. KANAMUGIRE Louis7. UWINGABIRE Fausca8. KARUGU RUBIMBURA Charles9. MUKABALISA Donatille10. MUNYANDINDA Emmanuel11. RUZIBUKA John Bosco12. MUGISHA Robert13. SEBUHORO Céléstin WESTERN PROVINCE 1. UWAMARIYA Floride2. NSENGUMURENYI Senglo Louis3. UWIMANA Lucie4. BUTERA Jean Claude5. UWIMANA Consolée6. BISHAGARA KAGOYIRE Thérèse7. MUSHINZIMANA Appolinaire8. SINDIKUBWABO Jean Népomuscène9. MANYEMBWA NTAGARA ThaddéeNORTHERN PROVINCE 1. BIZIMANA Evariste2. MUSABEYEZU Narcisse3. NYIRANGORORE Anastasie4. RYAMUGEMA Vincent5. KAMI RUSINGIZA Arthur SOUTHERN PROVINCE 1. MPAYIMANA François Xavier2. MUNYAKAYANZA Jean François3. UMUKOBWA Bellancille4. UWAYEZU Jean Fidèle5. KAMBANDA RUCWELI Hormisdas6. MUKASINE Marie Claire7. UWIZEYE Fidèle8. MUKAMUSONERA Marie Claire9. HAVUGIMANA Emmanuel10. NYIRACUMU Josepha11. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène12. MUKANSANGA Marguerite13. NIYONGANA Gallican14. MUREBWAYIRE Clotilde15. NKURAYIJE Jean de la Croix16. RUHIGANA Vénuste PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES’ CANDIDATES 1. BYANAFASHE Déogratias2. NTAGWIRUMUGARA Etienne3. BAJYANA Emmanuel4. KAYISHEMA Jean Marie Vianney5. KANANGA SIMBA NTALEPRIVATE UNIVERSITIES’ CANDIDATE 1. NKUSI Laurent Ends