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{
    "id": 844044,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/844044/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 339,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Pareno",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13180,
        "legal_name": "Judith Ramaita Pareno",
        "slug": "judith-ramaita-pareno"
    },
    "content": "It is symbolic that the Forum was born in Kigali. Rwanda is a country that I personally admire. I must say that on Friday, I came back from observing Rwanda elections. If you have a chance to go to that country to observe elections like I did last week, you will wonder what is wrong with us. We used to wake up in the morning and go to the polling stations that were opened at 7.00 a.m. because we used to be there at 6.30 a.m. At the entrance, the first thing you see is a decorated polling station with colours of the national flag. The next thing I saw were flowers and you would wonder whether it was a garden party. You enter a polling station with flowers all the way. When you enter the polling station, you find it decorated with ribbons and tables that are covered and some flowers next to the ballot boxes. There were also some traditional pots at the entrance all the way to the polling stations. In each polling station, there was a deejay manning some music system that played patriotic songs. All elections officers took an oath before entering polling stations. When I went in, I asked to take a photo. The polling booth is nothing other than a simple corner decorated and covered by a small light sheet with colours of their national flag. It was that simple. The cost of their election is US$1 per person. The cost of the last election in this Republic was over US$27 per person. When I asked them how they managed, they said it is about trust and systems. I am happy that this started in Kigali and we need to borrow a leaf. You will be shocked at the way they protect their environment and the security. In our case, to enter a polling station, you have to pass about 10 police officers before you enter. I had to go round checking whether there was a security officer on site. I then saw one seated very far just observing what was happening. You would not even notice that they are there."
}