Rwanda candidate in more trouble

Twagiramungu has promised to provide free health care for the poor

Rwanda's election authorities have accused the main opposition candidate in this month's presidential poll, Faustin Twagiramungu, of promoting ethnic divisions.

The deputy head of the national election commission told the BBC that the opposition leader had been summoned to explain himself on Thursday.

Mr Twagiramungu - a former prime minister who returned from exile earlier this year - denies the accusations.

He told the BBC his campaign leaflets had been impounded by the authorities although they contained nothing discriminatory.

He also questioned impartiality of the president of the national electoral commission, accusing him of being the campaign manager for the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front party.

Mr Twagiramungu, a moderate Hutu, has previously accused the authorities of hindering his campaign and harassing his supporters.

Restrictions

He delayed his campaign for almost a week citing restrictions, which he claimed, have been imposed by local government officials.

Kagame's government is accused of harassing Twagiramungu

The BBC's Robert Walker in Rwanda said that at a rally on Wednesday, in his home town of Cyangugu in the south-west, Mr Twagiramungu received a very good reception from thousands of his supporters.

In his speech he placed great emphasis on measures he would take to address poverty and made a very received statement about providing free education and health care for the needy.

Mr Twagiramungu also appealed to the government to provide information about people who have disappeared.

Recently, the Dutch Government said that it would not fund the elections because it has not received a satisfactory response from the Rwandan authorities about people who have disappeared.