KIGALI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda's National Electoral Commission (NEC) Monday 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.
Also two other prospective candidates Gilbert Mwenedata, an independent competitor and Fred S. Barafinda, said to be the representative of Rwanda Revolutionary Union Democratic Advancers (RRUDA), presented their credentials to the commission. RRUDA is not known among registered parties in Rwanda.
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.
Political party candidates must also present confirmation, that the candidate represents the party.
There are 11 political parties in Rwanda.
Major competitors in the previous elections of the ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), including the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Liberal Party (PL), recently announced their support to the current president Paul Kagame, who is yet to be nominated.
Other prospective candidates yet to present credentials include Diana Shimwa Rwigara, daughter of deceased tycoon Asinapol Rwigara -- the only female.
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.
NEC had said that a provisional list of qualified candidates will be announced on June 27. The names of qualified candidates will be published on July 7, a week before campaigns start.
Campaigns for the qualified candidates will officially begin on July 14 and end on August 3, just a day before the elections.
It is estimated that about 6.8 million Rwandans will vote in the upcoming elections, according to the NEC.
