KIGALI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan presidential candidates will for the first time in the history of the Rwanda elections appear in a live television debate ahead of August 4 polls, said the National Electoral commission (NEC) of the country on Wednesday.
The three candidates, incumbent President Paul Kagame of the ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate, will face off next week, in the much anticipated television debate, NEC's executive secretary Charles Munyaneza told Xinhua on a telephone interview.
He said the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency and NEC are currently organizing the live presidential debate.
"We are organizing the live presidential debate for aspiring candidates which will take place sometime next week. We shall confirm the day, time and venue in the due course. The event will give voters an easy platform to listen to the presidential candidates and then judge for themselves ahead of the polls," he said.
He also said that more than 1,000 election observers from European Union, East African Community (EAC), African Union, members of the diplomatic missions accredited to Rwanda, and Rwanda civil society organizations, among others, have already been confirmed to participate in the August presidential election.
EAC is set to send a team of 27 election observers, headed by former Kenyan Vice President Moody Awori, to monitor presidential elections in Rwanda due on August 4, EAC's Deputy Secretary General in Charge of Political Federation Charles Njoroge told journalists in Kigali on Wednesday.
Njoroge who was in Rwanda for a previous election said the election mood is conducive compared to other countries where electoral period is marred with violence.
About 6.8 million will participate in the election from 5.7 million who participated in 2010 presidential elections, according to NEC.
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