A few days after the detention of some political representatives accused of having torpedoed the partial registration process of voters in Rumonge province, the political parties to which they belong demand their release.
View of Rumonge
Four political representatives including three CNL party members and one from UPRONA party were arrested two weeks ago in Bugarama commune of Rumonge southern Province.
They were arrested while they were supervising the registration process that was scheduled from 9 to 12 December.
The police accuse them of having made untrue statements aimed at obstructing the voter registration process.
However, their political party leaders dismiss the allegations and congratulate their representatives on daring to report irregularities observed during the registration process.
Their political parties indicated that some fictitious registrations were made by one of the agents of the Communal Independent Electoral Commission in contradiction with the Electoral Code.
Anitha Nshimirimana, a political representative, was arrested in Minago locality in Rumonge commune for denouncing the registration of voters without their physical presence at the registration desk.
Jérémie Ndayizeye, CNL party representative was apprehended by the police for “slanderous denunciations” in connection with the voter registration operation in Karagara locality in Rumonge commune.
Obède Ntakiyiruta, a CNL party leader in Rumonge Province says their political representatives in the registration process denounced people who came to register others with identity cards without their physical presence, which could distort the electoral register with the registration of fictitious people.
«They were arrested for reporting irregularities”
Obède Ntakiyiruta pleads for the release of his party’s political representatives. According to him, they have not committed any offense by reporting these irregularities.
“They should be commended for exposing fraud and other irregularities punished by the current electoral code.”
He requests the Provincial Independent Electoral Commission to carry out investigations so that the perpetrators of these frauds and irregularities be punished according to the Electoral Code in order to guarantee free, transparent and credible elections.
“They should be released as the Council chamber has decided it. There is no charge brought against them,” he adds.
As for David Mukanya, UPRONA party leader in Rumonge Province, their political representative should be released as soon as possible.
He also calls for the popularization of the Electoral Code. “The electoral agents and representatives of political parties must be sensitized on the content of the electoral code,” he says.
Contacted, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission in Rumonge province said the registration process was generally successful except for a few cases of arrest of political representatives who wanted to hamper its progress.
He appeals to political leaders to properly supervise their representatives in order to make a responsible observation to guarantee the smooth running of the 2020 elections.
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