President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame after casting vote during the Presidential elections of 2017
The National Electoral Commission(NEC) has so far registered more than 9.5 million Rwandans on voter list who are ready for the presidential and parliamentary elections of July 15, 2024.
Rwandans will go to polls for the combined elections of the next president and the members of parliament who will serve the next five year term.
On July 14, the elections will kick off in Rwandan communities of diaspora and proceed on July 15 in the country.
According to Moise Bukasa Karani, in charge of Communications at NEC, the number of voters on the list was obtained after extracting and importing electronically all the citizens with voting age.
“Every Rwandan with a national identity, aged of 18 years and beyond should check heir name on voter list. NEC works with the National Identity Agency(NIDA) where every person of 18 years is automatically registered,” Bukasa said.
However, this list undergoes correction back and fourth because in the process the demographic changes happen, including deaths.
Other people would be removed from the voter list because they are not authorised to vote even though they would be of required age.
Those include people serving a jail sentence or those that were released before being exonerated of the crimes of Genocide and crimes against humanity, murder, manslaughter, rape and defilement.
“There is no polling site in prison which means that prisoners do not qualify to vote,” Bukasa said.
On the election day, every citizen who qualify will be required to present their identity card, the only document that will be used since the voter’s card will no longer be in use.
In other words, a citizen without an identity card will not be allowed to vote.
NEC further advises that to be able to vote at ease, every voter will be required to change their polling site and choose one that is convenient to them, in accordance to their place of residence, school and/or workplace.
To change the polling site, one uses a mobile phone where they dial *169# and follow instructions.
Option to change polling site will be closed on June 29.
Meanwhile, specific categories of people will be allowed to cast their vote at their working place because of the nature of their work which requires constant mobility.
This list include security and military officials, medical practitioners, observers, and journalists.
