The National Electoral Commission (NEC) on March 8 announced that by-elections to pick members to complete vacant positions in Cell Councils, are slated for Sunday, March 9. A Cell Council consists of a representative of each of the villages making up the cell, a coordinator of the National Women Council, a coordinator of National Youth Council, a coordinator of National Council of Persons with Disabilities–all at cell level–representative of nursery schools, a representative of primary schools at cell level, and a representative of the Private Sector Federation at cell level. This is according to a ministerial order of October 14, 2021 determining other modalities to conduct elections of decentralised administrative entities due to force majeure. Other members of the council are female councillors who represent at least 30 per cent of all its councillors. They are elected by members of the Executive Committees of the National Women Council of in villages within the cell, and the members of the Executive Committee of the National Women Council at cell level. ALSO READ: Electoral Commission sets date for by-elections to fill vacant local government positions Overall, NEC indicated, in an announcement dated March 7, that by-elections are planned from March 9 through 31, to fill the positions that were vacated by officials at cell, sector, district, provincial, and City of Kigali levels. It pointed out that through the by-elections, members will be picked to complete cell, sector, and district councils; district committees, and national councils – namely that for women, for youth, and persons with disabilities. ALSO READ: New law sets leaner district councils For district councils, NEC stated, by-elections for general councillors will be held in the districts of Burera, Bugesera, Karongi, Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Kamonyi, Muhanga and Nyanza. Female councillors – accounting for at least 30 per cent of the council members – will be elected in the districts of Karongi, and Rusizi. The set period for submitting candidatures is from March 10 to 14.
