Rwandans cast their ballots on Monday in a presidential election that saw an overwhelming turnout and put incumbent Paul Kagame firmly in the lead. Early results indicated a fourth term for Kagame, extending his nearly 25-year rule over the East African nation. The National Electoral Commission reported a voter turnout of 98 per cent among the 9 million registered voters. By Monday evening, with 78.94 per cent of the votes counted, Kagame held a commanding lead with 99.15 per cent of the vote, according to data from the commission.
Having been the de facto leader since the end of the 1994 genocide and officially president since 2000, Kagame’s anticipated victory was confirmed by the National Election Commission, which announced his 99.15 per cent vote share after counting 79 per cent of the ballots. Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza and independent Philippe Mpayimana garnered 0.53 per cent and 0.32 per cent of the vote, respectively. “We voted smoothly without any crowding, and we are happy,” a local resident, Pheneas, told Reuters. “I voted for Paul Kagame because he has achieved a lot for us; he united us.”
Praise and support for Kagame, who received over 93 per cent of the vote in the last three elections, has been lauded by Western and regional leaders for ending the 1994 genocide. The US State Department and other international bodies have praised his economic policies, which have spurred a remarkable recovery. Rwanda’s GDP grew at an average annual rate of 7.2 per cent between 2012 and 2022, although nearly half of the population still lives on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank. “This is going to be my first time to vote. I am voting for President Kagame because I have never seen a leader like him before,” said Jean Claude Nkurunziza, a motorcyclist, to the Associated Press.
Despite the high voter turnout and apparent public support, the election was marked by allegations of media suppression and political repression. Critics have accused Kagame’s regime of silencing dissent, with several prominent opponents barred from running. Campaign groups such as Human Rights Watch accused the authorities of cracking down on journalists, opposition figures, and civil society groups in the lead-up to the vote. Amnesty International reported that Rwanda’s political opposition faced severe restrictions, including threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution, and enforced disappearances. Kagame has dismissed these accusations, positioning himself as the candidate of stability. However, the National Electoral Commission disqualified eight other candidates, including some of Kagame’s most vocal critics, citing issues such as incomplete registration documents.
A lopsided campaign marked the three-week period leading up to the election. The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front’s (RPF) well-organized PR efforts contrasted sharply with the struggles of Kagame’s opponents, who often drew crowds of fewer than 100 people. The RPF’s colors and slogans, including “Tora Kagame Paul” (“Vote Paul Kagame”) and “PK24” (“Paul Kagame 2024”), were omnipresent. Final results are expected by July 27, though they could be announced sooner.
