In a resounding victory, Paul Kagame has secured at least 99.15% of the votes in the country’s elections held on Monday this week, up slightly since the last polls were held seven years ago, where Kagame won 98.79% of the ballots. The election commission announced the partial results just seven hours after voting stations closed, which included Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza garnering just over half a percent of the votes, and independent Philippe Mpayimana securing just 0.32 percent.
Habineza’s campaigning focused on improving water access and expanding mechanized farming in a nation where 70% of the populace is involved in agriculture. He also took swipes at President Kagame saying Rwandans are tired of arbitrary detentions and restrictions on free speech and media. His rallies however, failed to draw the crowds, with only around 100 people attending. Similarly, Mpayimana was also unable to drum up much support during his campaigning events, with only small crowds showing up.
He pledged to reform the mining sector to benefit small-scale miners and increase access to loans for university students in Rwanda. Though Mpayimana acknowledged running for the presidency was unlikely to result in a win for him, he said his participation was aimed at fostering “political maturity” in the country. Habineza and Mpayimana were the only two candidates allowed to run against Kagame.
In response to his thumping victory, Paul Kagame said “The results that have been presented indicate a very high score, these are not just figures, even if it was 100 percent, these are not just numbers,” adding “These figures show the trust, and that is what is most important,”. Kagame became vice president of the small African country 1994, after he was instrumental in guiding the Rwandan Patriot Front (RPF) to defeat Hutu extremist forces and halt the Rwandan genocide. He assumed the presidency of Rwanda in 2000.
With 65% of the population under 30 years old, Kagame is the sole leader known to most Rwandans. The 66-year-old leader’s popularity continues to grow, as he’s praised for reconstructing a nation shattered by the 1994 genocide. But it’s not all rosy. He faces accusations of governing through fear domestically and contributing to instability in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The president, now entering a fourth term in office, told supporters during campaigning, “Priority No. 1 after we’ve gone through all of this is to continue to make as much progress as we can in the area of security and stability for our country, socio-economic development progress … we are building our country, growing it toward prosperity,”. The 66 year old has thanked Rwandans for their support and for giving him another five years in office.
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