Paul Kagame Secures Presidential Term for The Fourth Time With 99% of Vote

Paul Kagame secured 99.15% of the votes with 79% of the ballots counted in just seven hours after the poll had closed

Paul Kagame was elected as the President of Rwanda in the latest elections held. He secured another five year term after winning 99% of the four-fifths of the votes counted. Extending his two and a half decade rule of the East African nation the former refugee and rebel leader confidently bats away criticism.  

The election procedure was seen as a formality as it had just two other candidates that were allowed to compete. East Africa is a country that is under rigid control of its longtime leader. Paul Kagame secured 99.15% of the votes with 79% of the ballots counted in just seven hours after the poll had closed. 

Authorities said 9.5 million Rwandans registered to vote with a country that has a population of 14 million. Chrysologue Karangwa, President of the Electoral Commission of Rwanda, declared Kagame the winner after he received 7,099,810 votes, equating to 99.15% of the total 9,071,157 votes cast.

Paul Kagame represents the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and defeated his closest rival, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, who secured 38,301 votes (0.53%), and Phillipe Mpayimana who received 22,753 votes (0.32%).

There were a minimum of three other candidates who were barred from taking part in the elections. It included a businesswoman Diane Rwigara and a long-time critic Victoire Ingabire who have both been imprisoned for crimes. 

“There are those who think 100% is not democracy,” Mr Kagame said while addressing a campaign rally with thousands of cheering supporters last month. He also added that what happens in Rwanda is Rwanda’s business. 

Paul Kagame is a 66 year old father of four who gives out a stern and inspiring figure before the crowd. Although his soft but strong and direct delivery forces his listeners to take note. Despite his diplomatic language he’s sure to let his people know what he wants to say. 

President Kagame has been the leader and has effectively ruled Rwanda since 1994. Back then he had led an army that was rebel in nature that ended a genocide that was close to killing about 800,000 people. This could be the main reason for his first election in the office in 2002. Since then his rule has been extended to 2015 after the country decided to agree to abolishing a constitutional two-term limit, potentially enabling him to remain in power until 2034. 

Most critics accused President Kagame of many things like abusing human rights, stifling free speech and suffocating political competition. Though he receives equal amounts of recognition and applause from the people of Rwanda for strengthening and rebuilding the nation’s economy. The nation, home to around 13 million people, has always had one of the quickest rates of economic growth in Africa, and for the next five years, the International Monetary Fund predicts average annual growth of 7%.

President Kagame’s private secretary from 2000 to 2002, David Himbara called him a lion. From 2006 to 2010, David also headed his strategy and policy unit before he moved to Canada as an escape before becoming a critic. He also added, “The lion has preyed on everything, and has chased everything. It’s a one-man state.”

The president’s supporters believe that curbs on free speech and political space are justified in light of the genocide, which killed nearly all of Kagame’s ethnic Tutsi minority.

Paul Kagame further faced more accusations of destabilizing their neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Thousands of people are left dead and millions of more displaced due to thousands of Rwandan troops backing the M23 rebel militia in violence as per a report by the United Nations. Rwanda has constantly denied sponsoring the group that claims to be fighting for the rights and safety of the Tutsi community in Congo.