The National Electoral Commission of Rwanda (NEC) will begin receiving on Tuesday all requests for applicants wishing to compete in the Senate elections in September, an official source verified on Monday in Kigali.
Instructions for potential applicants to submit a dossier with confirmation of Rwandan nationality at least 40 years of age and above, a criminal record certificate, prove that the applicant has not been sentenced for more than 6 months, and is commonly accepted as a wise and upright individual in society.
NEC Chairman Prof. Kalisa Mbanda informed a Kigali media briefing that potential applicants will submit their offers to the committee between July 22 and August 9, while campaigns will run from August 27 to September 15.
Qualified candidate campaigns will formally start on August 27 and finish on September 15, just a day before the elections.
The Senate is composed of 26 members, including 12 members representing the four provinces of the country and the City of Kigali, and eight senators nominated by the President of the Republic.
The Consultative Forum of Political Organizations appoints four senators, one senator represents public universities and greater educational institutions, and one senator is selected from private universities and higher learning institutions
Of the twelve elected senators representing the four provinces of the country and the City of Kigali, one senator is elected from the City of Kigali, two senators from the Northern Province, while the remaining three provinces elect three senators each.
The deadline to announce elected senators is on 30 September 2019, the Rwandan electoral official said.
According to the NEC, around 200 million Rwandan Francs (about $223,000 USD) are projected to be allocated to organize the upcoming elections.
