By Ollus Ndomu
Kigali, Rwanda – Incumbent President Paul Kagame has secured a landslide victory in Rwanda’s presidential election, with provisional results showing him garnering 99.15% of the vote. This outcome sets the stage for Kagame to extend his nearly three-decade rule by another five years.
The provisional results, announced by Rwanda’s electoral commission, indicate that with about 79% of ballots counted, Kagame’s two opponents, environmentalist Frank Habineza and journalist Philippe Mpayimana, received a mere 0.53% and 0.32% of the vote, respectively.
In an address at his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party headquarters, Kagame expressed gratitude to the Rwandan people for their overwhelming 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 stated.
The results, which mirror the 2017 election where Kagame won with 98.8% of the vote against the same opponents, come as no surprise. The 66-year-old leader faced no significant opposition this election cycle, with several prominent critics and potential challengers, including Diane Rwigara, being barred from running.
Rwanda’s electoral commission reported a high voter turnout, with 98% of the more than 9.5 million eligible voters participating in the election. Alongside the presidential election, Rwandans were also voting for 53 legislative seats. Elections for 27 special seats reserved for women, young people, and people with disabilities are scheduled for Tuesday.
Kagame, who has been Rwanda’s de facto leader since the end of the 1994 genocide and officially the president since 2000, has been a polarizing figure. Human rights groups accuse him of stifling freedoms and curtailing political opposition. In contrast, his supporters credit him with fostering economic growth and promoting national unity in the post-genocide era.
This election’s outcome underlines Kagame’s continued dominance in Rwandan politics and sets the tone for his extended leadership amid both national and international scrutiny.
