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2024 set a record: Rwanda’s democracy in the numbers of candidates seeking office

By Esther Muhozi
On 19 June 2024 at 08:23

It’s been over 21 years since the Rwandan Constitution was established, granting citizens the opportunity to elect their President and other officials following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

This year set a record for the number of people aspiring to run for both the Presidency and Parliament.

Since 2003, 23 individuals have expressed interest in leading Rwanda, requesting permission to run for office at various times. However, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) found that nine of them did not meet the necessary requirements to run for office.

Regarding the Parliament, 2,426 people have submitted their candidacies to the NEC since 2003, though 154 of them were found to be ineligible.

Among these candidates were 64 independents, but only 30 met the necessary requirements and competed in the elections. No independent candidate has yet managed to secure the 5% of votes required to enter Rwanda’s Parliament.

The year 2024 set a new record.

During the 2003 parliamentary elections, 415 Rwandans submitted their candidacies to join the Parliament, with 391 meeting the requirements according to the NEC. From these, 80 deputies were elected to represent Rwandans in Parliament for a five-year term.

In 2008, as the terms of those elected in 2003 ended, new elections were held. At that time, 366 people, including 200 women, submitted their candidacies. After review, 11 were found ineligible.

In 2013, the number of aspirants for Parliament increased, with the NEC receiving 441 applications, including 221 from women. Out of these, 410 were approved, and 80 deputies were elected for the next five years.

Participation continued to grow over the years. In 2018, there were 539 aspirants, including five independents and 326 women. Of these, 521 were approved, including four independents and 322 women.

The year 2024 broke the record for the highest number of candidacies for both Parliament and the Presidency. For parliamentary seats, the NEC received applications from 665 people, of whom 589 met the requirements, including one independent candidate.

It is anticipated that this year’s elections will be attended by over 9.5 million Rwandans, with more than two million voting for the first time. The elections will have a budget exceeding 11 billion Rwandan Francs, provided by the Government of Rwanda.


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