Rwandan President Paul Kagame is on track to extend his 24-year rule by another five years in a landslide victory, with most votes counted from Monday’s election, as he has secured 99.15% of the vote so far, with approximately 79% of ballots counted, according to partial results announced by the electoral commission.
The 66-year-old did not face any major opposition, as leading figures were banned from running. His two opponents, environmentalist Frank Habineza and ex-journalist and government adviser Philippe Mpayimana, received 0.53% and 0.32% of the vote, respectively.
Kagame expressed gratitude to Rwandans for their trust in an address at his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party headquarters. “These are not just figures, even if it was 100%, these are not just numbers. [They] show the trust, and that is what is most important,” he said.
The full provisional results are expected by 20 July, with final results due by 27 July. This election has shown many similarities to the outcome of the 2017 election, where Kagame also faced the same candidates and won with 98.8% of the vote.
At least three aspirants, including outspoken critic Diane Rwigara, were disqualified from running. The electoral commission reported that 98% of the more than 9.5 million eligible voters participated in the elections, casting ballots for a president and 53 legislators. Elections for 27 special seats designated for women, young people, and people with disabilities will take place on Tuesday.
Kagame has been the de-facto leader of Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide and has served as president since 2000. While rights groups accuse him of curtailing freedoms, his supporters credit him with overseeing economic growth and helping to end ethnic divisions.
BBC
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