Campaign begins for Rwandan Senate seats
Campaigning began Monday for candidates contesting for seats in Rwanda's Senate, the upper chamber of Rwandan parliament, ahead of elections scheduled for next month.
A total of 32 candidates will vie for 26 seats in the Senate, with campaigns set to run until Sept. 14, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Speaking to journalists, NEC Chairperson Oda Gasinzigwa said the electoral body met with all the candidates, urging them to uphold electoral guidelines and avoid divisive politics and voter bribery during the campaigns.
The Rwandan Senate is composed of 14 lawmakers elected by electoral colleges from the national capital of Kigali, provinces, and higher learning institutions, eight appointed by the president, and four from the National Consultative Forum of Political Organizations.
Public and private universities each have one seat in the Senate.
To be eligible for the Senate elections, one must be aged at least 40, and have a minimum academic qualification of a university degree.
