Kagame poised for fourth term with 99.15% of the vote

President Paul Kagame has won 99% of the vote in provisional results from Rwanda’s presidential election held on Monday, according to electoral authorities. This result, which mirrors the 2017 election where Kagame also secured nearly 99% of the vote, was largely expected as he aims to extend his nearly three-decade hold on power.

Kagame’s opponents, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, received less than 1% of the vote in provisional results covering 79% of ballots cast. Final results are expected by July 27, but may be announced sooner.

Kagame, 66, has been in power since the end of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Initially serving as vice president and the de facto leader from 1994 to 2000, he then became president. Despite facing significant criticism for his authoritarian methods, Kagame is also credited with fostering impressive economic growth in Rwanda over the past three decades.

Kagame’s re-election was facilitated by changes to term limits, approved by a 2015 referendum, allowing him to potentially remain in office until 2034. He stated that his mandate comes from the people, noting that both the ruling party and Rwandan citizens had asked him to run again. “At a personal level, I can comfortably go home and rest,” he remarked.

The election saw long lines at polling stations in Kigali, with 9.5 million Rwandans registered to vote out of a population of 14 million. Jean Claude Nkurunziza, a first-time voter and motorcyclist, expressed his support for Kagame, stating, “I am voting for President Kagame because I have never seen a leader like him before.”

Rwanda’s election occurred amid concerns over regional security, particularly with the M23 rebels clashing with Congolese forces in eastern Congo. United Nations experts reported that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan forces are fighting alongside M23, which the U.S. government describes as being supported by Rwanda. Rwanda, in turn, accuses Congo’s military of recruiting fighters involved in the 1994 genocide.

Human rights organizations continue to criticize Rwanda’s restrictive policies on freedom of association and expression. Amnesty International highlighted issues such as “threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution on trumped-up charges, killings, and enforced disappearances” targeting political opposition, civic groups, and the media. These actions, according to Amnesty, stifle dissent and limit public debate in Rwanda.