Police have said that the just-concluded parliamentary elections were “peaceful” and conducted in a “smooth and secure environment.” Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson Commissioner of Police Theos Badege said there was “no significant incident or road accident related to elections recorded.” “The entire electoral process that started on August 13 with the launch of campaigns was characterised by positive attitude from the public and respect for the law,” CP Badege said. “The usual community policing awareness campaigns also proved effective in this case. It has become a culture and Rwandans are law-abiding citizens, they understand their rights and, equally important, they are the custodians of the law as major proactive policing and crime prevention players,” he said. He, however, said that “very few minor cases” were identified and handled in partnership with Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) and National Electoral Commission. The elections concluded Tuesday with the election of 24 women representatives to parliament. A coalition led by the governing Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF)-Inkotanyi won the most seats in the Lower House (40 out of 53 seats reserved for political parties and independent candidates), while Social Democratic Party won five seats, Liberal Party four seats, Green Party two seats, and PS-Imberakuri two seats. The youth and persons living with disabilities also elected their representatives – two and one respectively – to the 4th Chamber of Deputies, which will be dominated by women at 61 per cent.
