Rwanda: Presidential and Parliamentary Elections 2003
The report is a comprehensive account of the presidential and parliamentary elections that took place in Rwanda from August to October 2003, based on the authors' observation of the elections as envoys of the Norwegian Resource Bank for Democracy and Human Rights (NORDEM). Elections of this scope are unprecedented in Rwanda's history, and it was the first occasion after the 1994 genocide for the Rwandan people to elect their own representatives. The report outlines the political context and legal framework of the elections; the electoral adminstration and the processes of registration of voters and nomination of candidates; the electoral campaign; and the role of the media and civil society. Special focus is devoted to the set-up and implementation of an operation of local electoral observation. Finally, a detailed account of the days of election is provided, and a brief overall assessment is made of Rwanda's first post-war electoral experience.
