Election24: incomplete files can be submitted missing documents before June 14

According to NEC, it will announce a preliminary list of candidates on its website on June 6, and a final list on June 14. The campaigns will begin on June 22 and close on July 13 before voting gets underway from July 14 to 16.

National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced this, while some aspirants missed some documents which can make them unqualified if they can’t meet all requirements.

For example, a high school teacher Innocent Hakizimana, from Nyabihu District, submitted his presidential candidature on 28 May 2024. However, Hakizimana’s file lacked proof that he has no other nationality, among other requirements.

Manirareba Herman submitted his presidential candidature on Friday, 24 May, where his file lacked 600 signatures and he must complete it before June 14.

"They should give enough time, I have a plan for the National Electoral Commission, and the candidates would start to seek signatures on the 18th of April to Thursday, the 30th of May.  The aspirants submit their candidate from the 17th to the 30th of May, Is this time enough for an aspirant to submit the candidature to reach their goal?” He started.

The issue of insufficient time and financial capacity for independent candidates is related to Mwubahamana Vincent who also applied for the position of deputy candidate as an independent candidate.

"It is not easy to get all these requirements because if it was easy, everyone would bring it. It requires showing your integrity. The first thing is time; we did these things in one month. When time is short it requires more capacity. In a short time, there may be some mistakes. Some issues will be resolved by increased time," he noticed.

As for Barafinda Sekikubo Fred, who is attempting for the second time to run for the presidency, finding the 600 signatures was not easy but he is “thankful that I managed to get them.”

He submitted his candidatures for the July presidential elections to the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Wednesday, 29th May.

“I am so confident that as time changes, citizens now more than ever understand politics and this gives me more chances to win,” he said.

With their candidacies, the total number of presidential candidates not affiliated with any political party increases to four [including Thomas Habimana who gave his presidential candidature on 29th May]; - after President Paul Kagame; the Chairperson of RPF, and Frank Habineza, the Chairperson of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda.