Women have been encouraged to participate in the local elections that are scheduled to be held in October, by giving their candidature and turning up for the votes. The call was made on September 16, during the 20th General Assembly of the National Women’s Council. The assembly brought together women representatives from all districts to discuss the pressing gender issues in the country. Immaculee Mukarurangwa, Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Electoral Commission, said there was a huge gap of women in local leadership. “We have many women leaders but they hold higher positions such as in parliament, but down the local government level there is still a gap of women leaders,” Mukarurangwa said, calling for the mobilisation of women across the country and empower them to participate in the upcoming elections. Jeannette Bayisenge, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, said in the previous local elections 32.2 per cent of the elected leaders were women. “However, we need to double efforts and make sure more women are voted, especially young girls who should be sensitized about these elections.” She said. “Women being elected at this local level will help solve the most pressing issues like teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and cases of defilement, because the voted women will help solve these problems at an early stage but also provide counsel, and more support to young girls and making sure they are not left behind.” She added. Jackline Kamanzi, Executive Secretary, National Womens Council said that the council will intensify its mobilisation efforts, especially in attracting women candidates with disabilities and adult girls. “We will make sure these campaigns that had been interrupted by Covid-19 are conducted all across the country at all stages and make sure to involve as many as we can,” she said. According to the National Electoral Commission, there are 340,000 seats in local leadership that will receive new leaders. The posts awaiting new personnel include committees at village, cell, sector and district level (except for districts in Kigali), and members of councils for special interest groups namely women and youth councils, and the council of people living with disabilities Women must constitute at least 30 per cent of each council from village to the district level.
