Local polls conducted on Friday, November 19 were marked by return of former mayors. Elections of the district Executive Committees and the bureau of the Advisory Council was the final phase of the elections at the district level, after which elections of national representatives of special interest groups will continue at the national level. A total of 17 mayors had been vying for the councilors’ positions, but four of them were not successful during the councilors’ elections. During the mayoral elections, Janvier Gashema who has been acting as the mayor of Nyaruguru district was also not successful. He was elected the Vice-Mayor in charge of economic development, a position he held before acting as the district’s mayor in March 2021 when the ex-mayor Francois Habitegeko was appointed the governor of the Western province. On the other side, the re-elected mayors during todays exercise are 12 of which five are women. So far, four female district mayors have been elected: Incumbent Jacqueline Kayitare of Muhanga and Incumbent Marie Chantal Uwanyirigira of Burera district. Others are Triphose Murekatete of Rutsiro district and Nathalie Niyonagira of Ngoma district. pic.twitter.com/RPrbA6swG8 — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) November 19, 2021 Those women were among the shortest serving mayors of the previous mandate: They include Jacqueline Kayitare heading Muhanga, Burera District’s Marie-Chantal Uwanyirigira, Karongi’s Vestine Mukarutesi, Nyamasheke’s Appolonie Mukamasabo and Antoinette Mukandayisenga in Nyabihu district. All of these female candidates joined their respective district offices in September 2019 when a strong wave of mayoral exits hit the country. Other leaders reelected to occupy the mayoral seats include Richard Mutabazi in Bugesera district, Richard Gasana in Gatsibo district and Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi in Rwamagana district. In the Southern province, Huye district elected Ange Sebutege for the second term while Erasme Ntazinda was the incumbent candidate in the position in Nyanza district. On the other side, Valens Habarurema in Ruhango district and Jerome Rutaburingonga in Gisagara district also retained their positions. Richard Gasana, one of the re-elected candidates heading Gatsibo district, told The New Times that during this mandate, a focus will be put on improving the agenda of the head of state. “We are not setting up plenty of new programs, the program has been set by the president of the republic, we will ensure we are fast-tracking the projects that are beneficial to the population and conduct advocacies for them,” he said. He added that this country has well-established institutions, giving the new leaders hope that their term will be marked by excelling and impacting the population. On the other side, 15 new candidates in the positions were elected to head different districts. They include Bruno Rangira who was elected the mayor of Kirehe district. Rangira has been acting as the advisor to the mayor of the city of Kigali. They also include Hildebrand Mbonyumwungeri who has been the head of National University of Rwanda’s Students Association Union (NURSU).
