The National Electoral Commission has asked lawmakers to help enlighten citizens about the forthcoming local government elections.

NEC chairperson Kalisa Mbanda said this in Senate, yesterday, where he had been summoned to brief lawmakers about the local government elections scheduled for February and March.

The polls will see Rwandans vote for their local leaders such as cell executive committees including members of cell councils, councilors of sectors and districts, district mayors, as well as representatives of women, youth, and people with disabilities.

"We expect you to contribute to making these local government elections known to citizens. We also urge you to take part in the elections to inspire citizens that you represent,” Kalisa told the senators.

The senators had summoned NEC officials to explain the process for local government elections because they wanted to get a better understanding of the polls so they can be in a position to explain it to the citizens in case they ask them any questions, according to Senate president Bernard Makuza.

"Understanding these elections helps us to also explain to people where we live and travel as leaders,” Makuza said.

NEC officials say preparations for the elections are going on smoothly, with about Rwf3.5 billion already disbursed by the government for the elections, while about 70,000 election volunteers have also been trained to facilitate the polls.

The polls

The elections will kick off on February 8 when every citizen above 18 years of age will be expected to vote cell executive committees and councils by lining up behind their preferred candidates.

Another adult suffrage election will be held on February 22 when all citizens above 18 years will be expected to vote for the district council from councillors who will come from sectors through a secret ballot.

Then, on February 27, district executive committees will be elected, an exercise that will produce new district mayors and vice mayors – who will be elected from the district councils.

Then, in early March, there will be elections for the City of Kigali mayor and executive committee, as well as representatives of special groups at the national level such as leaders of the National Women Council, the National Youth Council, and the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

NEC will have to publish a report of the 2016 local government elections by the end of March but results from the polls will be officially published before the final report on March 8.

"These elections are very important given the big numbers of leaders to be elected. We, therefore, can’t assume that all Rwandans understand the whole electoral process. We have to explain the process to them,” said Senator Appolinaire Mushinzimana.

Senate vice-president Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba told the electoral commission officials that they can count on the lawmakers to be their good ambassadors in the run up to and during the elections.

"We pledge that we will convey the message about the elections wherever we go,” Gakuba said.

About 6.5 million Rwandans are expected to vote in the local government elections.

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