Independent candidates have up to July 25 to collect the signatures required to contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for the first week of September 2018. Speaking to The New Times in a telephone interview last week, the Executive Secretary of the National Electoral Commission (NEC); Charles Munyaneza said that the process will see potential candidates traverse all the country’s 30 districts where they are expected to collect 600 signatures in total. The signatures are used as proof that a candidate has been endorsed by a minimum of 12 people per district. “The candidate must get at least 12 signatures from every district though in total we expect 600 signatures. The 12 signatures must be from voters that are registered in that district and they must have received their national identity cards from the same area,” he said. Munyaneza also said that to make the process easier for potential candidates, there was a provision of them getting help to acquire the signatures. “The aspiring candidate is permitted to nominate people to help them in the collection of the signatures but they must be registered voters and NEC must be informed about these agents,” he explained. Munyaneza pointed out that NEC has availed a form format to be used for the signature collection and one can sign or use a fingerprint. Potential candidates are prohibited from collecting signatures from public places like schools, markets, hospitals to avoid business disruptions, according to the commission’s regulations. The lower chamber has 80 seats and all are up for grabs. 53 are drawn from political organisations, 24 representing women (elected through the National Women Council structures), two youth representatives, and one representative of people living with disabilities. For a political organisation or individual aspirant to win a parliamentary seat, they need to win at least 5 per cent of the total votes. The elections process is expected to cost between Rfw5 – 6 billion. According to Article 79 of the constitution, the President is required to dissolve the Lower House (Chamber of Deputies) in a period not more than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the expiry of the term of the sitting parliament. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
