The development was disclosed during a press briefing held on August 30, 2024.

NEC’s Executive Secretary, Charles Munyaneza, said that the Commission received 41 candidacies in accordance with legal provisions, but the Supreme Court approved only 32.

Munyaneza explained the reasons considered by the Supreme Court to reject some candidacies include failure to meet the necessary qualifications, such as lacking relevant work experience or not meeting the minimum age requirement of 40 years.

Additionally, some candidates lacked the required documents, and those from universities and higher learning institutions did not meet stipulated requirements.

This will be the fourth senatorial election since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, with previous elections held in 2003, 2011, and 2019. This marks the second time senators will be elected for a five-year term, different from the previous eight-year terms.

NEC’s Chairperson, Oda Gasinzigwa, mentioned that the campaigning process for the approved candidates is progressing smoothly.

She emphasized that the elected senators will serve a five-year term, subject to renewal, and the law stipulates that the elections must be held at least 30 days before the end of the current senators’ term.

Rwanda’s senate consists of 26 senators, including eight appointed by the sitting President, four appointed by the Consultative Forum of Political Organizations, and elected senators through Electoral Colleges.

The upcoming elections in September 2024 will be for 12 senators elected according to the country’s Constitution, two senators elected respectively from lecturers and researchers from the public and private universities.

The Senate of Rwanda consists of 26 senators.