President Paul Kagame has secured 99% of the vote in provisional results from Monday’s presidential election in Rwanda, according to electoral authorities. This outcome, expected by many, extends Kagame’s nearly three-decade grip on power.
Kagame’s opponents—Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana—collectively garnered less than 1% of the vote in the provisional results, which cover 79% of all ballots cast. This mirrors the 2017 election, where Kagame also won nearly 99% of the vote.
Final results are anticipated by July 27, though they might be announced sooner. The 66-year-old Kagame, who has led Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, faced minimal opposition, with two of his more prominent critics barred from running.
Polling stations in the capital, Kigali, saw long lines, with 9.5 million Rwandans registered to vote out of the country’s 14 million population.
“This is my first time voting. I am voting for President Kagame because I have never seen a leader like him before,” said Jean Claude Nkurunziza, a passenger motorcyclist.
Kagame has been Rwanda’s leader since he led the rebel forces that ended the genocide in 1994. Initially serving as vice president and de facto leader from 1994 to 2000, he then became president.
While he is criticized by many as an authoritarian, he is also credited with Rwanda’s significant growth over the past three decades.
In 2015, Rwandans voted in a referendum to lift a two-term presidential limit, allowing Kagame to potentially stay in power until 2034. He maintains that his mandate comes from the people, stating, “The ruling party and Rwandans have been asking me to stand for another mandate.”
The election took place amid heightened insecurity in Africa’s Great Lakes region, with rebels known as M23 fighting Congolese forces in eastern Congo. The UN has reported that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan forces are involved in the conflict, with the U.S. describing M23 as being supported by Rwanda.
Rwanda, in turn, accuses Congo’s military of recruiting fighters from among the perpetrators of the genocide.
Rights groups continue to express concern over severe restrictions on human rights in Rwanda, including freedom of association.
Amnesty International recently highlighted issues such as arbitrary detention, prosecution on trumped-up charges, and suppression of political opposition, which limit the space for debate and dissent.