On 14 August 2008, President Paul Kagame dissolved the Chamber of Deputies, paving the way for elections from 15 to 18 September. They were the second to be held after the 1994 genocide, in which over 800,000 people were killed, the equivalent of one seventh of the country's population.
Elections are held over four days in Rwanda. On the first day, Rwandans directly elect 53 representatives among political parties and independents. On the following days, the Electoral Colleges for women, for youth and for the disabled elect 24, two and one representatives respectively.
In the previous elections held in September and October 2003, President Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR) and its allies (see note 1) won a total of 40 of the 53 directly elected seats. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Liberal Party (PL) took seven and six seats respectively. Although these two parties consider themselves to be opposition parties, they had supported Mr. Kagame in the 2003 presidential elections. Women occupied 39 of the 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, or 48.75 per cent of membership: the highest percentage in the world among parliaments comprising directly elected members.
In 2008, the FPR formed a coalition with six small parties (see note 2). As in the 2003 election the main opposition, including the Unified Democratic Forces (FDU) - a coalition of three parties exiled in Belgium and the Netherlands since the genocide - was not allowed to compete.
The FPR list comprised 80 candidates (including 14 from its coalition partners), of whom 35 were women. The PSD backed 32 women among its 64 candidates. In all, 356 candidates, including 196 women, were vying for the 53 directly elected seats. In addition, 113 candidates ran for the 24 reserved seats for women, while 83 ran for the seats reserved for the youth and the disabled.
The FPR, locally referred to as "Inkotanyi" (the invincible), was expected to win a clear majority in the new legislature. President Kagame argued that multiparty democracy was key to the country's development. PSD Secretary General and Health Minister, Mr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, also underscored the importance of working with other political parties. The PL, led by Youth Minister Protais Mitali, added that such cooperation among parties would help the PL to implement its political agenda of ushering in justice, development and respect for the human rights of all Rwandans.
The media focused on whether the number of women would increase in the new legislature.
According to the Election Commission, 98.5 per cent of the 4,769,228 registered voters turned out for the elections for the 53 seats, up from 96.48 per cent announced for the 2003 elections. Voting took place peacefully.
The European Union Electoral Observer Mission, which sent more than 60 observers, praised the country for its well-prepared, orderly and successful elections.
The FPR and its allies won 42 of the 53 directly elected seats. The PSD and the PL won seven and four seats respectively.
In all, women won 20 of the 53 directly elected seats. Moreover, in addition to the 24 women elected by virtue of the reserved seats, a woman won one of the seats reserved for the youth. Rwanda thus broke its own record of the world's highest percentage of women parliamentarians, by returning 45 women, or 56.25 per cent, to the Chamber of Deputies.
The newly elected chamber held its first session on 6 October. Ms. Rose Mukantabana, an independent member elected to a reserved seat for women in Kigali, won the Speakership, becoming the first woman to assume the post.
Note 1:
The FPR's allies in the 2003 elections and number of seats won:
- Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR): 33
- Centrist Democratic Party (PDC): 3 seats
- Islamic Democratic Party (PDI): 2 seats
- Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda (UDPR): 1 seat
- Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR): 1 seat
Note 2:
The Party for Progress and Concord (PPC), the Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR), the Democratic Union of the Rwandan People (UDPR), the Prosperity and Solidarity Party (PSP), the Islamic Democratic Party (PDI) and the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) |
