Kigali says it needs US $4.6 million for elections

The Rwandan National Electoral Commission announced on Thursday that it needed US $4.6 million to conduct the nation's first post-genocide presidential and parliamentary elections.

This announcement follows an earlier statement this week by the Kigali government, in which it said that presidential elections would be held on 25 August and parliamentary polls on 29 September. The government said political campaigns could begin on 1 August.

The electoral body reported that it had opened a public account seeking financial support from Rwandan citizens. So far, the account has received about $400,000 from major Rwandan companies and prominent businessmen.

The president of the electoral commission, Chrysologue Karangwa, said that presidential aspirants must submit their nomination papers between 14 and 18 July. The final list of candidates is due to be issued on 19 July.

Rwanda's polls, in which four candidates will vie for the presidency, will mark an end to the nine-year-old transitional government of national unity. The elections are widely expected to be a two-man race between incumbent President Paul Kagame and the country's first post-genocide premier, Faustin Twagiramungu.

The electoral commission also said that it had begun updating voter registration rosters and carrying out civic education to inform the population on voting procedures.