Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kigali (Agenzia Fides) – 5.2 million voters will be able to cast their vote in the Presidential elections in Rwanda. The polls were opened at 6am today, August 9, in the 15,507 polling stations across the country, while the Rwandan residents living outside the homeland voted yesterday from their polling stations at the embassies. The polls will remain open until 3pm today. Attending to the vote will be 1,394 poll observers, of whom 214 are international, representing the African Union, representing the diplomatic missions present in Kigali, the French-speaking nations, and the Commonwealth. Rwanda is, in fact, a member of both organizations, which respectively bring together French-speaking and English-speaking nations.
The favorite in the race is incumbent President Paul Kagame, who in the 2003 elections won 95% of the vote.
After the dramatic events of 1994, Rwanda took up a path of national reconciliation and economic development. The leadership of the country has invested in information technology in order to create new jobs and give a future to the new generations. In the months prior to the election there have been tensions linked, at least in part, to the divisions that took place within the military hierarchy (see Fides 2/7/2010).
In order to pray for a safe atmosphere during elections, yesterday 12,000 faithful of different religious denominations participated in a moment of prayer held at the national Amahoro Stadium in Kigali. The slogan of the event was “Rwanda is in your hands, Lord.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 9/8/2010)
