Rwanda’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) has approved 54 candidates to compete for a vacant seat in the Chamber of Deputies, narrowing the field from 59 names published in the provisional list.
The final list was released on August 25, five days after NEC published the provisional candidates on August 17.
The election will fill the seat left vacant by former MP Icyitegetse, who resigned from Parliament following what authorities described as inappropriate conduct. The circumstances surrounding the conduct have not been publicly detailed.
Under Rwanda’s electoral requirements, candidates for the Chamber of Deputies must be Rwandan citizens aged between 21 and 30, be of good character and not be legally barred from standing for election.
Candidates were required to submit a range of documents to support their applications, including a national identity card, birth certificate, certificate of good conduct, two colour photographs and a valid document indicating whether they have previously been convicted by a court.
They were also required to provide a medical certificate issued by an authorised practitioner and sign or fingerprint a declaration confirming the accuracy of the information and documents submitted.
The final list includes candidates born between 1996 and 2004. The oldest candidates, born in 1996, are 30, while the youngest, born in 2004, are 22.
The reduction from 59 candidates on the provisional list to 54 on the final list comes after NEC’s verification of candidates’ eligibility and submitted documents.
Notably, the provisional list included candidates born in 1994 and 1995, who would exceed the statutory age limit for parliamentary candidates.
The 54 approved candidates will now compete for the single parliamentary seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
