Rwanda Decides: Paul Kagame secures landslide victory with 99.2% of votes
President Paul Kagame is on track to extend his 24-year rule in Rwanda by another five years, with preliminary results showing a landslide victory in Monday’s election.
With about 79% of the ballots counted, Kagame has secured 99.15% of the vote, according to partial results announced by the nation’s electoral commission.
Kagame’s two opponents, environmentalist Frank Habineza and journalist Philippe Mpayimana, have received less than 1% of the vote combined. Habineza has 0.53%, and Mpayimana has 0.32%.
In an address at his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party headquarters, Kagame thanked Rwandans for their trust. “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 July 20, with final results due by July 27.
As reported by Neusroom yesterday, this outcome is unsurprising, and it is similar to the results of the 2017 election where Kagame won with 98.8% of the vote. The 66-year-old leader again faced no significant opposition during this election, with leading figures banned from running. Among the disqualified aspirants was Diane Rwigara, a vocal critic of Kagame.
Rwandans came out to vote en mass
The Rwandan electoral commission reported a high turnout, with 98% of the more than 9.5 million eligible voters participating in the elections. Voters were choosing a president and 53 legislators. Elections for 27 special seats reserved for women, young people, and people with disabilities will be held 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 restricting freedoms, his supporters credit him with fostering economic growth and helping to end ethnic divisions in the country.
