Rwandans in Uganda cast ballots for a new president

(Photo credit: Lawrence Mulondo)

ELECTIONS | RWANDA DECIDES

KAMPALA - Rwanda will hold a presidential election on Friday. On the eve of the day, Rwandan voters residing Uganda, just like others in the diaspora, cast their ballots for a new president.

It's a three-man race for nation's top seat.

Considered the overwhelming favorite, the incumbent, President Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), is seeking another seven-year term at the helm.

His challengers are Frank Habineza and Phillipe Mpayimana.

On a warm Thursday, Rwandan nationals living in Uganda turned up in large numbers at the Rwandan High Commission in Kampala to vote for their new leader.

Some of them travelled from as far as Fort Portal in western Uganda by bus to participate in the exercise.

By 7am local time (6am Rwandan time), hundreds were already in two long qeues and had started voting.

Buses, taxis and private vehicles have filled the embassy parking lot way up to the Kamwokya road.

After casting her vote, 25-year-old Cloudine Mbabazi, who resides in Nsambya, said she is happy she has exercised her citizenship duty by participating in this year's election.

"I was born in Rwanda, I grew up there. Moving to Uganda for business cannot stop me from exercising my national duties," she said, delightedly.

President Kagame, 59, has been in power in April 2000.

After this coming presidential term, Rwanda will switch to a five-year term following recent constitutional reforms.

It's a huge voter turnout at the Rwandan High Commission in Kampala