Rwandans in diaspora cast ballots Thursday

In Summary

• The National Electoral Commission (NEC) said that over 44,000 citizens residing outside Rwanda are registered to vote and will be served by 98 polling stations from South Korea to England to the US.
• The General Election will be held on Friday with about 6.9 million voters expected to turn out.

By IVAN R. MUGISHA
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Rwandan nationals across the world have turned up to cast their votes Thursday, as the presidential election kicks off for the diaspora community.

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) said that over 44,000 citizens residing outside Rwanda are registered to vote and will be served by 98 polling stations from South Korea to England to the US.

In a break from the past, some voting centres will also be located outside of the country’s embassies. For example, in Kenya, other than at the Rwanda High Commission in Nairobi, the other polling station is at the coastal city of Mombasa.

Rwandans in Kenya queue to vote on August 3, 2017. PHOTO | RWANDA HIGH COMMISSION KENYA

According to NEC, they have set up polling stations in locations that have more than 40 registered voters residing.

“In the past, some voters had to travel long distances to vote. This became a bit too difficult for some of them,” said Charles Munyaneza, NEC’s executive secretary.

“Through a number of platforms such as the Umushikirano, they requested for new incentives to help them vote easily. By placing polling stations wherever we have a concentration of 40 Rwandans, we think that the number of voters could rise from 30,000 to above 40,000,” he said.

Rwandans cast their vote in Kampala. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | NMG

Regional countries are expected to see the largest turnout of voters, with Uganda and Kenya accounting for over 10,000 registered electors.

Rwandans in Uganda turned out in large numbers to vote on August 3, 2017. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | NMG

Voting is scheduled to officially close at midnight.

Rwandan voters queue at their Tanzania embassy. PHOTO | RWANDA HIGH COMMISSION TANZANIA

The General Election will be held on Friday with about 6.9 million voters expected to turn out.

Presidential candidates - Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza and Phillipe Mpayimana - ended their campaigns on Wednesday.

President Kagame is expected to win with a landslide.

The electoral agency is expected to announce the provisional results by Wednesday.

Official results will then be announced a week later on Wednesday, August 16.