Vote counting underway after smooth general elections in Rwanda

KIGALI, Rwanda | Xinhua | Vote counting has begun following Monday’s presidential and legislative elections in Rwanda.

Partial official results from the presidential election are expected to trickle in later in the evening after polls closed at 3 p.m., local time, National Electoral Commission (NEC) Executive Secretary Charles Munyaneza told the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, the country’s national public broadcaster, after voting ended.

Munyaneza said the elections went smoothly across the country, with a high voter turnout. “Millions of Rwandans nationwide cast their votes today, demonstrating remarkable enthusiasm and pride. Many shared their excitement in contributing toward their collective vision for Rwanda.”

He said voters were calm and orderly in their lines, which allowed polling officials to oversee the process to ensure a peaceful voting experience.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. for about 9.5 million eligible voters.

Munyaneza added that voting continued after 3 p.m. at some polling sites because many voters were still waiting in line at the official closing time.

The elections were marked by early and high voter turnout. Some voters arrived at their respective local polling stations as early as 6 a.m., hoping to cast their ballots before heading to work.

Sylivanus Karemera, a resident of Kigali, said he was pleased to have fulfilled his right to vote.

“This election is significant to me because it demonstrates that every Rwandan has the right to vote for the leader of his or her choice. I’m very happy that I cast my vote, and I’m waiting for the results,” he said.

All three presidential candidates — incumbent President Paul Kagame of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Frank Habineza of the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate — cast their ballots at separate voting sites in the capital.

Kagame cast his ballot at the Gacuriro Technical Secondary School voting station in Kigali’s Gasabo District, accompanied by First Lady Jeannette Kagame.

Habineza voted at the GS Kimironko II polling station in Gasabo District, while Mpayimana cast his vote at a polling site at a school called Camp Kigali.

A total of 589 candidates contested for the 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the bicameral national legislature of Rwanda. These include representatives from political parties, special groups (youth, women, and people with disabilities), and one independent candidate.

The NEC said partial results of the legislative election will be expected Tuesday.

More than 100,000 Rwandans volunteered as polling staff, and over 1,100 local and foreign observers were accredited for the elections, according to the NEC. ■