In The New Times is ruim baan gegeven aan de perikelen rond
de verkiezing van de zetel die bestemd is voor mensen met een handicap.
In het artikel van 23 augustus werden de kaarten nog op de
borst gehouden. Op de dag na de verkiezing van 18 september wordt echter al
melding gemaakt van een ‘heated campaign’. Een paar dagen later barstte
werkelijk de bom. De verliezer beschuldigde de winnaar Gaston Rusiha van
verkiezingsfraude. Het hooggerechtshof moest eraan te pas komen. Die besliste
echter op 26 september dat de aanklager geen bewijs had geleverd en dat zijn
eis dus is afgewezen. Alles liep uiteindelijk dus met een sisser af, de
verkozene is rechtmatig gekozen.
Tsja, wat moeten we daarvan denken. Is Séverin Rwamucyo Gisaza gewoon een slecht
verliezer, of zit er toch ergens een addertje onder het gras?
We are ready – candidates for special
groups
Gaston Rusiha, the head of the
National Council for the Disabled, who is one of the 15 candidates eyeing the
slot for the disabled, justified his reluctance to talk about what he intended
to do for this special interest group, arguing that his competitors might copy
his agenda.
“It is still my secret,” he said on Tuesday, a day after NEC released the final list of 410 candidates who will tussle it out in various categories. “I’m keeping my message for the right time and looking forward to addressing the Electoral College once campaigns have kicked off.”
Candidates in this category are bidding to replace outgoing representative Pierre Claver Rwaka, who is not seeking re-election in this category but rather appears on the list of RPF candidates.
“It is still my secret,” he said on Tuesday, a day after NEC released the final list of 410 candidates who will tussle it out in various categories. “I’m keeping my message for the right time and looking forward to addressing the Electoral College once campaigns have kicked off.”
Candidates in this category are bidding to replace outgoing representative Pierre Claver Rwaka, who is not seeking re-election in this category but rather appears on the list of RPF candidates.
Disabled persons send their council boss
to Chamber of Deputies
A disabled person casting his ballot
yesterday. The New Times/Timothy Kisambira
Gaston Rusiha has beaten 15 other candidates to the
single slot reserved for the representative of persons with disabilities in the
Chamber of Deputies.
Rusiha casting his ballot yesterday. The National
Council for Persons with Disabilities chief will now represent his interest
group in Parliament. The New Times/T. Kisambira
Rusiha, the president of the National Council of
Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), yesterday, had the biggest say in the ballots
of the 252 people who make up the electoral college of the disabled persons,
polling 100 votes (41.84 per cent). The polling was preceded by a heated
campaign.
Pierre Claver Rwaka, who held the seat in the August
House, opted not to contest to represent the disabled persons this time round,
preferring to vie for one of the 53 directly contested slots on the Rwanda
Patriotic Front ticket.
However, Rwaka missed out on returning to House in the
Monday poll.
Rusiha’s nearest challenger, Séverin Rwamucyo Gisaza,
scooped 63 votes (26.36 per cent).
Speaking after the vote, the MP-elect said he had been
eying the seat for the last 10 years but had to bide his time.
“With my vast experience, I am going to Parliament to
make an impact in the welfare of the disabled persons. My predecessors did a
good job but there is need for sustainability and improvement and that’s what I
am going to be doing,” said the excited Rusiha.
Pledge to interest group
Earlier, while campaigning, Rusiha listed a number of
projects he intends to address while in Parliament, including pushing
government to allocate 5 per cent of the civil service jobs to disabled
persons.
“This policy is in place but no one follows it, I will
ensure that it is implemented and that is how we will increase jobs for the
disabled persons,” said the MP-elect.
He added that there are several national policies for
the disabled that need to be updated and aligned with EDPRS 2.
“This will be my primary responsibility. There is also
need to have special driving permits for disabled people and also having a
ministry in charge of disabled persons, I will advocate for these things to be
put in place.”
Only one seat is reserved for the disabled in the
80-member Chamber of Deputies.
Parliamentary polls: Loser challenges
PLWDs winner
Rusiha votes during the just concluded
polls. The New Times/ Timothy Kisambira.
Gaston Rusiha’s election as the country’s next Member
of Parliament (MP) to represent people with disabilities has been disputed by
his closest challenger, Séverin Rwamucyo Gisaza.
The latter petitioned the Supreme Court on Friday, contesting results from the legislative polls in the special category of people living with disabilities held on Wednesday. Campaigns by candidates seeking this seat were held on the same day.
Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) are allocated one seat in the Chamber of Deputies, which is competed for through the college system.
A source at Judiciary told The New Times yesterday that Rwamucyo has alleged that Rusiha peddled influence on the Electoral College to win the seat and that he has proof that the winner paid voters.
“He says that Rusiha peddled influence and paid to win votes,” the source said, confirming that the Supreme Court has indeed received Rwamucyo’s petitioned.
No confirmation
Rusiha, is also the president of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), garnered the most votes from the 241 members of the college, earning 100 votes (41.84 per cent) while Rwamucyo scooped 63 votes (26.36 per cent).
NEC announced Rusiha as tthe winner in the preliminary results. However, on Friday, he did not feature on the list of MPs-elect announced by the president of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Prof. Kalisa Mbanda.
“We will not proclaim the winner of the seat for the disabled because some issues have emerged,” Mbanda simply said at the announcement of the final results from the elections on Friday.
The NEC boss only announced 79 MPs-elect, one short of the full House of 80.
Rusiha refuted the allegations that he unfairly won the elections, insisting in an interview on Friday that he is the legitimate winner of teh poll.
The Supreme Court has requested Rwamucyo to provide more evidence about his allegations before it can issue its verdict, the source at Judiciary said.
The court has five working days to deliver a judgment after such an elections related complaint is filed.
An official at NEC said the commission will implement what the court will decide between confirming Rusiha as an MP and conducting another election for the representative of people living with disabilities in the Lower House.
The latter petitioned the Supreme Court on Friday, contesting results from the legislative polls in the special category of people living with disabilities held on Wednesday. Campaigns by candidates seeking this seat were held on the same day.
Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) are allocated one seat in the Chamber of Deputies, which is competed for through the college system.
A source at Judiciary told The New Times yesterday that Rwamucyo has alleged that Rusiha peddled influence on the Electoral College to win the seat and that he has proof that the winner paid voters.
“He says that Rusiha peddled influence and paid to win votes,” the source said, confirming that the Supreme Court has indeed received Rwamucyo’s petitioned.
No confirmation
Rusiha, is also the president of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), garnered the most votes from the 241 members of the college, earning 100 votes (41.84 per cent) while Rwamucyo scooped 63 votes (26.36 per cent).
NEC announced Rusiha as tthe winner in the preliminary results. However, on Friday, he did not feature on the list of MPs-elect announced by the president of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Prof. Kalisa Mbanda.
“We will not proclaim the winner of the seat for the disabled because some issues have emerged,” Mbanda simply said at the announcement of the final results from the elections on Friday.
The NEC boss only announced 79 MPs-elect, one short of the full House of 80.
Rusiha refuted the allegations that he unfairly won the elections, insisting in an interview on Friday that he is the legitimate winner of teh poll.
The Supreme Court has requested Rwamucyo to provide more evidence about his allegations before it can issue its verdict, the source at Judiciary said.
The court has five working days to deliver a judgment after such an elections related complaint is filed.
An official at NEC said the commission will implement what the court will decide between confirming Rusiha as an MP and conducting another election for the representative of people living with disabilities in the Lower House.
Contact email: eugene.kwibuka[at]newtimes.co.rw
Comments
I commend the way things go. Who ever says Rwanda is undemocratic is a
'nut'and can hung. Few countris do such! For transparency, let there be a
re-run.
04:53:04 Tuesday 24th, September 2013
Arusha - Robert
could be true that man is fond of fraud. I wonder how Rwamucyo may forge
that accusation knowing that he may be liable for liabilities if proved guilty
himself.
11:22:23 Tuesday
24th, September 2013 KIGALI - KENETH
Supreme Court to rule on PLWDs poll
dispute today
Rusiha at the Supreme Court yesterday.
The New Times/Timothy Kisambira
The Supreme Court will today decide whether or not
Gaston Rusiha legitimately won the parliamentary seat reserved for people with
disabilities (PLWDs) last week.
On Friday, Severin Gisaza Rwamucyo, Rusiha’s closest
challenger, petitioned court claiming that the defendant had bribed his way to
victory.
He also accused Rusiha of influence-peddling.
Rusiha is currently the president of the Council of
Persons with Disabilities (NCPDs), and Rwamucyo charges that the former abused
his position in bid to win over voters in the September 18 poll.
Rusiha and Rwamucyo were among 15 contestants who were
in the running for the Lower House seat and were voted for by members of an
Electoral College representing people with disabilities.
The Electoral College was composed of 241 voters, with
Rusiha collecting 100 votes (41.84 per cent) and Rwamucyo 63 votes (26.36 per
cent).
On Wednesday, last week, the National Electoral
Commission (NEC), in its preliminary results, declared Rusiha as winner of the
contest but did not include his name in the list of the MPs-elect unveiled
during the announcement of the final results on Friday.
Yesterday, Chief Justice Sam Rugege read out
Rwamucyo’s written submission in which he accused Rusiha of entrusting Emmanuel
Ndayisaba, the NCPDs executive secretary, of bribing the voters with view to
sway them in his boss’ favour.
In his submission, Rwamucyo also charged that Rusiha
had sent a letter to representatives of the council at the provincial level
directing them to vote for him.
He also alleged that Rusiha sent money to voters using
various channels, including mobile money and Tigo cash platforms.
Rusiha rejected all the allegations in his own written
submission, also read out by CJ Rugege.
Neither Rwamucyo nor Rusiha were allowed to speak in
court yesterday in keeping with the rules concerning such petitions.
The plaintiff did not challenge the conduct of the
elections, according to state attorney Epimaque Rwango.
Court will deliver its verdict today at 4p.m and its
decision will be final.
Court says Rusiha duly elected to
represent PLWDs
The Supreme Court
yesterday ruled that Gaston Rusiha legitimately won the parliamentary seat
reserved for persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) in the recently concluded
parliamentary poll.
Last week, Rusiha’s closest challenger, Severin Gisaza Rwamucyo, petitioned the court, claiming that the former offered money to some College Electorate and engaged in influence peddling to win the polls.
He accused Rusiha of using his position as the president of the Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPDs) to win over voters during the September 18 election.
Pronouncing the verdict, Chief Justice Sam Rugege said Rwamucyo’s claims, including an allegation that Rusiha paid, by cheque, Rwf500,000 to the Electoral College, were not backed by empirical evidence.
“The court finds the evidence presented lacking and cannot help prove anything. In addition, the burden of proof lies on the accuser and when he fails to do so, he loses,” pronounced Prof. Rugege, who led a nine-person panel of justices who heard the case.
Prof. Rugege said the plaintiff’s case was baseless and that the poll for PLWDs cannot be annulled as he had requested.
The Supreme Court’s decision is final.
Rusiha and Rwamucyo were among 15 candidates in the running for the Chamber of Deputies seat voted for by an Electoral College of PLWDs that comprised 241 voters.
Rusiha obtained 100 votes (41.84 per cent) and Rwamucyo 63 votes (26.36 per cent).
Last week, the National Electoral Commission, declared Rusiha winner of the contest but did not include his name in the list of the MPs-elect unveiled during the announcement of the final results Friday.
Zie ook:
http://bertinafrika.blogspot.nl/2013/10/verkiezingsfraude-in-rwanda.html
Last week, Rusiha’s closest challenger, Severin Gisaza Rwamucyo, petitioned the court, claiming that the former offered money to some College Electorate and engaged in influence peddling to win the polls.
He accused Rusiha of using his position as the president of the Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPDs) to win over voters during the September 18 election.
Pronouncing the verdict, Chief Justice Sam Rugege said Rwamucyo’s claims, including an allegation that Rusiha paid, by cheque, Rwf500,000 to the Electoral College, were not backed by empirical evidence.
“The court finds the evidence presented lacking and cannot help prove anything. In addition, the burden of proof lies on the accuser and when he fails to do so, he loses,” pronounced Prof. Rugege, who led a nine-person panel of justices who heard the case.
Prof. Rugege said the plaintiff’s case was baseless and that the poll for PLWDs cannot be annulled as he had requested.
The Supreme Court’s decision is final.
Rusiha and Rwamucyo were among 15 candidates in the running for the Chamber of Deputies seat voted for by an Electoral College of PLWDs that comprised 241 voters.
Rusiha obtained 100 votes (41.84 per cent) and Rwamucyo 63 votes (26.36 per cent).
Last week, the National Electoral Commission, declared Rusiha winner of the contest but did not include his name in the list of the MPs-elect unveiled during the announcement of the final results Friday.
Zie ook:
http://bertinafrika.blogspot.nl/2013/10/verkiezingsfraude-in-rwanda.html
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