The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has announced that those candidates who will misuse social media during the preparations of upcoming local leaders’ elections will be disqualified.
NEC says that 2068 candidates have submitted their application to various positions. Among them are 40.4% women while men are 59.6%.
The executive secretary of NEC , Charles Munyaneza, made the announcement as he was meeting candidates from all districts to discuss issues that included the way they will be using social media like Facebook and whatsApp where it was communicated that candidates who go against the rules will have their candidature canceled.
“We shall remove such a candidate from the list of candidates,” said the executive secretary of NEC when asked about effect of social media misuse.
Munyaneza said that election preparations have been completed adding that the rest is to provide guidelines to candidates.
Speaking to IGIHE, he said; “All requirements have been prepared. We have had a meeting with the candidates from all districts to discuss ways of the campaign processes.”
He added that they are preparing ballot papers to be used on 22nd February which will ready by 18th February 2016 and get distributed in various regions upcountry.
Munyaneza says that all Rwandans allowed to vote will participate without hindrance.
During recent elections some citizens did not participate over their missing names in the voters’ registert. Munyaneza says that everyone must participate in elections where in geographical areas where they are registered. He explained that students in boarding schools have been added to registers of where they stay adding that solutions may be sought with emergence for secondary leaving students who may face difficulties in voting.
City of Kigali, national women council, national youth council and the council of disabled people elections will take place in March.
NEC says that elections will cost Rwf 3 billion and 500 million. NEC says it has 70 000 volunteers trained to conduct the elections. It is expected that 6,500,000 Rwandans will participate in local leaders’ elections.
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