daniel chigunwe
KIGALI— Rwanda’s National Electoral Commission has released the final list of voters, indicating 9.7 million people are eligible to vote in July presidential and legislative elections across Rwanda’s 30 districts and the diaspora.
With over 13 million people, the final list released after the update of the voter register closed on Saturday, showed 3.7 million youth are eligible to vote.
“All Rwandans aged 18 years and above with national identification cards appear on the list. Voters will be required to present their national identification cards to polling officials to be allowed to vote unlike previously when a voter’s card was used,” the commission chairperson Oda Gasinzigwa told national television yesterday.
The commission also announced that 2,591 polling stations have been demarcated to facilitate free fair election.
The election will be conducted over a three-day period between July 14 and 16.
Rwandans abroad will cast their ballots for the president and 53 members of parliament on July 14 at the country’s diplomatic missions while in the country voters will head to the polls on July 15.
On July 16, 24 female members of parliament will be elected by electoral colleges.
There are three candidates in the presidential race, including incumbent President Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza of the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.
The electoral body also cleared over 500 parliamentary candidates vying for 80 seats in the lower chamber of parliament. — Xinhua
Online Reporter