POLITICS: NURSING MOTHER JOINS PARLIAMENTARY RACE IN RWANDA
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Agency Report
Jeanne d’Arc Nyiramahirwe, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Rwanda’s elections, is determined to make her voice known while carrying her three-month-old daughter on her back.
She is one of 199 women running for parliament, with 24 of the 80 seats in the lower house designated for female candidates.
Next week, Rwanda will hold presidential and legislative elections, with longtime leader Paul Kagame predicted to maintain his firm hold on power in the Great Lakes region.
Thirty-three women were running for four seats in the northern Burera District, and first-time candidate Nyiramahirwe was confident she would make an impression despite rights groups raising concerns about political persecution ahead of the polls.
“Politics is not a specialty for the wealthy. In Rwanda, it is for everyone,” she told AFP in the capital Kigali in May, having made the two-hour journey from her hometown to register her candidacy.
There, the 38-year-old told a small gathering she will “preserve President Kagame’s achievements” — echoing other candidates who are careful to steer clear of criticising government policies.
Colourful if tightly controlled campaigning has seen huge crowds supporting Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front party, while independent candidates have scrabbled along as best they can.
Nyiramahirwe, a math teacher for 15 years and a farmer, is a member of the RPF but is running as an independent — a requirement for anyone vying for seats under the women’s quota.
While the main polls are on Monday, the vote for the reserved women’s seats will take place on Tuesday with candidates elected by regional and municipal councillors.
Nyiramahirwe said she was an avid backer of women’s rights — an objective supported by the RPF, which maintains tight control over the political agenda — and has been setting a hectic pace during her bid to be a lawmaker.
“I will advocate for good agricultural practices, female education, and to educate residents about important laws,” Nyiramahirwe said.
The mother-of-four — two sons, two daughters — holds a degree in science and technology and said education for girls was a cornerstone of her campaign.
“Educating girls is not just about giving them knowledge, it’s about empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and become leaders in their communities,” she said.
But, baby-in-tow, Nyiramahirwe was adamant that “going to parliament does not take away my responsibilities as a mother”.
“The youngest is three months old, so I have to continue breastfeeding her even when I win a seat.”
And while she navigates the capital’s political landscape, she promises to remain deeply connected to her community in Burera.
“I will not forget you once I go to parliament in Kigali. I will always be available,” she told a gathering in her home area.
“I’ll jump on a bike and come listen to your problems whenever I must.”
AFP
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