Preparations  to replace the late Aimable Nibishaka who died on Monday last week, have commenced.

According to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Denis Polisi, the House will, first, officially notify the National Electoral Commission.

"We are in the process of officially informing the National Electoral Commission (NEC) about a vacant seat and requesting for the replacement,” Polisi said.

According to the law governing the replacement of Members of Parliament, the House has to officially write to NEC informing them about the vacant seat.

Speaking to The New Times, the Executive Secretary of NEC, Charles Munyaneza, said that nothing can be done before they receive Parliament’s notification.

 "If the Parliament informs us, we will have to look at the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) list of candidates and see who is next in line. Thereafter, we will write to RPF requesting them to confirm the candidate,” said Munyaneza.

The RPF Spokesman, Aimable Bayingana, said that the party will have to wait until the NEC communicates to them.

"Although we are still mourning our comrade Nibishaka, we still have to wait until the electoral commission communicates to us,” he said.

According to the list of Parliamentary candidates of the coalition of parties led by the RPF, the next in line is former MP Marie Josée Kankera.

Kankera, 46, lost her parliamentary seat during the 2008 parliamentary elections. She was below the cut off line.

Kankera is currently a consultant in project management and owns a coffee processing and export business.

If Kankera is confirmed, Parliament will have to officially write to the Office of the President, informing the Head of State about the replacement and ask him to swear-in the new lawmaker.

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