Off the wire
• UN calls for aid to help over 50,000 people displaced after Lake Chad attacks  • Brazilian midfielder Jadson set for China move  • Syrian oppositions possible to meet gov't delegation early next year  • Ronaldo says he could run for president of Brazil federation  • Roundup: Turkish PM, U.S. Biden discuss tensions with Baghdad as Erdogan says troops not likely to leave Iraq  • Weak trade figures to drag on UK economic growth: analysis  • UN, Singapore to cooperate on software development for peacekeeping  • Macri sworn in as Argentina's new president, calls for unity, dialogue  • Chicago futures rally on technical buying, upbeat U.S. exports  • 1st LD Writethru: Oil prices fall as OPEC production rises to three-year high in November  
You are here: 　 Home

Rwanda invites 1700 observers for referendum on lifting presidential terms

Xinhua, December 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

Rwanda has invited 1700 international and regional observers to attend next week's referendum on lifting the presidential two-term limit, the country's top electoral official said on Thursday.

"We expect around 1700 both international and regional observers if all honor our invitations but everything else is in place," said Kalisa Mbanda, the chairman of Rwanda's National Electoral Commission (NEC).

The referendum to be conducted on Dec. 17 to 18 will cost 1.3 million U.S. dollars, according to the electoral commission.

NEC officials said 80 percent of preparation has been done for the referendum with 68,000 election volunteers ready to assist the commission in the exercise.

NEC executive secretary Charles Munyaneza said: "We drew a list of 6.4 million registered voters. We have already distributed voters' cards, we have ballot boxes ready in stores and we shall be printing ballot papers early next week."

He said election kits to be used had been procured for use in next year's local government elections.

The referendum would allow President Paul Kagame to seek re-election after his second 7-year term expires in 2017. Parliament in July already voted to support the change.

The Rwandan Parliament on Thursday announced plans to move across the country between Dec. 11-16 to rally public support for revising the Constitution.

However, the opposition Democratic Green Party of Rwanda on Wednesday called upon its members and all Rwandans to cast a "No" Vote during the referendum.

The change of the Constitution requires absolute majority, or more than 50 percent of the "Yes" vote. Endit