By-election for Gicumbi Mayoral seat due this month

Preparations to elect a new mayor for Gicumbi District are at an advanced stage, according to National Electoral Commission (NEC) officialsThe position fell vacant last month following the resignation of former Mayor Bonane Nyangezi.Executive Secretary of NEC, Charles Munyaneza, told The New Times on Tuesday that his institution had received directives from the Ministry of Local Government to organise fresh elections to fill the vacant post.“Yes, last week, we received a letter from the Ministry informing us of the vacant position and we are in the process of organising new elections.” Munyaneza pointed out that the polls are due to take place before the end of July.Meanwhile, it has since emerged that Nyangezi was allegedly at the centre of several controversies involving mismanagement.At a recent provincial meeting, Governor Aime Bosenibamwe accused Nyangezi of poor management of the district citing land-related wrangles as one of them.Last month, the former Executive Secretary of Public Service Commission (PSC), Angelina Muganza, stated that Nyangezi failed to comply with the law while handling certain issues that concern public servants in his district.Ratings based on performance contracts at the district level show that Gicumbi District fell from third place in 2010 to 24th last year.The president of the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) who doubles as the Rulindo District mayor, Justus Kangwagye, told the media that Nyangezi was hard working adding that he had accumulated over six years of experience as a mayor.