Referendum date set, to cost Rwf 2 billion

{The cabinet meeting held yesterday in Village Urugwiro approved the constitutional referendum to be held on 17th and 18th December with a budget of of Rwf 2 billion. As approved by the cabinet meeting, Rwandans living abroad will vote on 17th and 18th December, home voting will take place. }

Based on power granted to him by the constitution, President Paul Kagame has approved the referendum.

The schedule is confirmed after the recent FPR-Inkotanyi meet held last Sunday which proposed that president Kagame sets the constitutional referendum on 18th December.

The constitutional referendum preparations will cost Rwf 2 billion, the lowest budget ever, compared to past elections in Rwanda.

Local leaders elections held between February and March 2011 cost over Rwf 4 billion while elections of members of parliament held in September 2013 took Rwf 6 billion.
Over Rwf 6 billion was spent on the budget of 2010 presidential election preparations while more than Rwf 8 billion was spent on the budget of constitutional referendum held in 2003.

I t is expected the government will spend Rwf5billion on the upcoming local leaders’ elections in 2016 to be held from village to districts levels.

In a recent interview IGIHE held with Munyaneza Charles, the Executive Secretary of Rwanda National Electoral Commission (RNEC), said that everything is in place to conduct a successful referendum.

More than 60,000 volunteers are to be trained in referendum preparations and handling.

The president of RNEC, Prof Kalisa Mbanda told IGIHE the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has agreed to release the funds to support the constitutional referendum.