Rwanda-2010 Elections

With the Presidential election there on August 9, 2010, I'd just lay low and watch what happens. The ultimate and strict advice would be to defer non-essential travel to many African nations during political elections. I'm defering travel to Guinea in August due to this (among other issues).

President Pierre Nkurunziza was just elected yesterday in neighboring Burundi with little incident - voting day itself was peaceful even though there had been approx 35 grenade attacks over the previous weeks - this being done by assailants who claimed the President's National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy had been fraudulent in the May 24th elections.

You'll be able to sense what to expect in the coming weeks with Rwanda - the build-up to elections is where most trouble can/will occur. Keep your eye on the press and watch what happens over the next few weeks. There is a sense of trouble already brewing, the recent killing in South Africa of former Rwandan general, Kayumba Nyamwasa, the ongoing house-arrest of Victoire Ingabire, then the opposition journalist Jean-Leonard Rugambage being killed in Kigali late Thursday.

My guess is that over the coming weeks President Kagame will tighten everything up and security will be in full force with no messing around at all. It will be made to appear that all is well in Rwanda........................stay well informed and always exercise a little caution no matter where you are.

am021169 summed it up nicely. Basically, in Africa, you never know about elections but I would say the conflicts, if any, could be expected mostly in the capital. I am in Kigali at the moment so i can open a thread to follow what is happening around the elections. Check also BBC and similar.

Thank you both! This is really helpful.
Fulana, if you could post if/when something arises you think is worth noting that would be fantastic.

Guinea is now a true representation of Presidential Elections in Africa and what can happen.

The elections there were held on the 27th of June and now, former prime minister and presidential candidate Lansana Kouyate said the June 27 presidential elections experienced massive fraud in Conakry, the municipalities of Matam, Ratoma, Matoto, and two cities in the Upper Guinea. One day earlier, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo's campaign denounced irregularities in Matam and Ratoma.

As is the norm, defeated candidates will likely challenge the election results, claiming voting irregularities or fraud, which may prompt potentially violent protests.

Again, stay well informed.

correction to # 1: the former Rwandan general hasn't been killed in South Africa, but injured by a gun attack. He is now being treated in hospital.

"which may prompt potentially violent protests."

To anyone who follows Rwanda very closely, it is unlikely for such violent protests to see the day as longer as Kagame remains the head of the tiny state!

I was in Nairobi the day before the last elections ('no problem man, this is Kenya, hakuna matata') and then again two weeks later - Nairobi was in total lockdown, and probably you know the stories.

Note that in the Kenya elections though, most of the real chaos occurred in Luoland: Eldoret and Kisumu. Some Europeans overlanding almost got torched trying to get to Uganda, and the other day in Nairobi I was talking to a woman who had been running an orphanage somewhere there in the west. After three unsuccessful midnight attempts to escape with kids to Uganda, she finally hired a convoy of matatus to return to the 'safety' of Nairobi. On the way, her minibus was surrounded by a mob, overturned, and two children were hacked to death.

Yes being a police state things should be calm in Kigali/Rwanda. But Rwandans are even more susceptible to authority than Kenyans (and note the recent indictments for inciting violence in Kenya), if this is happening (i.e. someone in DRC stirring the pot), then watch out!