Rwanda's National Electoral Commission (NEC) has started receiving applications for candidates wishing to take part in August's presidential elections.

The leader of the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda Frank Habineza is the first person presenting the application. Habineza arrived at the commission at 10 am local time accompanied by his handlers.

He sounded optimistic after presenting his papers to the commission saying he is confident to win the presidential polls by at least 51 percent votes.

According to the Rwandan Constitution and all electoral laws and instructions, prospective candidates are required to present a dossier with confirmation of Rwandan nationality, letter confirming single citizenship, birth certificate, certificate of criminal record, proving that the candidate has not been convicted for more than 6 months, and 600 signatures from eligible voters backing his or her bid gathered from across the country.

Other requirements are confirmation that one of the parents is a Rwandan by origin, act of birth proving citizenship of parents, certificate of residence and letter confirming that all documents submitted are true.

There are 11 political parties in Rwanda.

Rwanda will go to the polls for presidential elections on August 4 for its third time since the end of the ex-genocidal regime in 1994.

It is estimated that about 6.8 million Rwandans will vote in the upcoming elections, according to the NEC.

AEP
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