Faith Nyasuguta
Voters in Rwanda headed to the polls on Monday to elect their next president, with the 66-year-old incumbent Paul Kagame, who has ruled the central African country for nearly 25 years, expected to secure another victory.
Kagame has previously won over 93 percent of the vote in the last three elections. While eight candidates initially applied to run against him, only two were approved by the electoral commission. The others, including Kagame’s most vocal critics, were disqualified due to various reasons, such as prior criminal convictions.
At the Rwandexco polling center in Kigali, people began queuing 90 minutes before the polls opened. Voter Barimukije Pheneas expressed his support for Kagame, praising his efforts in rebuilding the country after the 1994 genocide by focusing on development and establishing effective social services. “We voted smoothly without any crowding, and we are happy,” Pheneas said. “I voted for Paul Kagame because he has achieved a lot for us; he united us.”
Kagame faces two other candidates, Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana, who also ran against him in the 2017 election. He seeks to gain the endorsement of more than nine million eligible voters, who are also voting for members of parliament. Provisional results are expected by July 20.
Motorcycle taxi driver Karangwa Vedaste described the voting process as calm and peaceful. “I voted for a leader I trust. The one I voted for is a secret in my heart. We will share it when he wins,” Vedaste said.
Kagame won nearly 99 percent of the vote in the 2017 election, which followed a constitutional change removing term limits that would have barred him from running again. While he has been praised for transforming Rwanda into a thriving economy, he has also faced criticism from rights activists and Western nations for suppressing the media, stifling opposition, and backing rebel groups in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda’s government has denied all accusations against it.
During his campaign, Kagame promised continued development and stability. Rwanda’s human rights record gained international attention in 2022 when it struck a migration deal with the UK to receive thousands of asylum seekers. However, Britain’s new government has announced plans to scrap the deal.
As Rwandans cast their votes, the nation awaits the election results, which will determine whether Kagame continues his long-standing rule.
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