Kigali, Rwanda – Paul Kagame has been declared the winner of Rwanda’s presidential election, securing a fourth term with 99.15% of the votes, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC). The announcement on Monday, July 15, highlighted a massive voter turnout of 98%, underscoring the election’s importance to the Rwandan populace.
Kagame, who has previously won more than 93% of the vote in three elections, faced limited opposition this time. Out of the eight candidates who applied to run against him, only two made it to the final list approved by the electoral commission. The others, including some of Kagame’s most vocal critics, were disqualified due to reasons such as prior criminal convictions.
The election saw high engagement from voters, with people lining up at the Rwandexco polling center in Kigali 90 minutes before the polls opened. Voter Barimukije Pheneas, among many others, voiced his support for Kagame, praising his efforts in rebuilding Rwanda post-1994 genocide and improving development and social services. “We voted smoothly without any crowding, and we are happy,” Pheneas remarked. “I voted for Paul Kagame because he has achieved a lot for us; he united us.”
As the vote count progresses, Kagame’s victory seems assured. His nearest competitor, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, managed only 0.53% of the vote, while independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana secured 0.32%.
