Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, has declared his intention to seek for a fourth term in the next elections.
Kagame, a former rebel leader, was elected president in April 2000 but has held the position since the 1994 genocide’s conclusion.
With more than 90% of the vote in the 2003, 2010, and 2017 elections, he was re-elected.
“Yes, I am indeed a candidate,” Kagame, who has ruled over the country with an iron fist for decades, told Jeune Afrique, a French-language news magazine, in an interview published online on Tuesday, September 19.
“I am pleased with the confidence that Rwandans have placed in me. I will always serve them, as long as I can,” the 65-year-old was quoted as saying.
The legislative and presidential elections in Rwanda are scheduled to take place in August of next year, and the country’s authorities synchronised the dates in March.
Kagame oversaw contentious constitutional changes in 2015 that gave him the ability to serve more terms and hold onto power until 2034.
Asked in 2022 if he would seek re-election, Kagame said he would “consider running for another 20 years”.
“Elections are about people choosing,” he told the France 24 news channel in an interview.
