Rwandans go to polls in 'rebirth' elections

[dArKeR]

Kigali - Thousands of Rwandans lined up patiently on Tuesday to vote in the country's first legislative elections since the 1994 genocide, with some describing the poll as a "rebirth" for Rwanda and others expressing hope that the election would encourage national reconciliation and economic growth.

The first multiparty legislative elections since independence from Belgium ends a nine-year transition that began when rebels led by President Paul Kagame overthrew the extremist Hutu government responsible for the slaughter of more than 500 000 Tutsis and moderates from the Hutu majority.

Polls opened at 6am at 11 498 polling stations where some of the country's 3,9-million registered voters gathered to elect 53 members of the 80-seat Chamber of Deputies. Voting is scheduled to end at 3pm and counting will begin immediately at the polling stations. Provisional results are expected late on Wednesday.

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