AFRICA/RWANDA – PRESIDENT KAGAME WINS ELECTIONS

Kigali (Fides Service) - The President of Rwandan has won elections again. After winning presidential elections in late August with 95% of the votes, Paul Kagame has gained a victory with his coalition obtaining the absolute majority of seats in parliament. The President’s party, Rwandan Patriot Front and four other parties in the government coalition won 41 of the 80 seats during legislative elections held this week in three stages. Monday 29 September committees of youth and handicapped persons elected their two representatives. Tuesday 30 September there was a session to elect 43 universal representatives. Thursday 2 October it was the turn of 12 senators and 24 women deputees elected by restricted colleges.
The 53 members of the Camera as follows: 40 to the governed coalition, 7 to the Democratic Socialist party, 6 to the Liberal party which sided with the president’s party.
A political observer contacted by Fides Service in Kigali says: With these elections Rwanda turns the page putting an end to the period of transition which followed the 1994 genocide when at least one million people were killed”. LM (Fides Service 3/10/2003 EM lines 38 Words: 478)