Rwandan President Paul Kagame Cruises Towards Fourth Term in Dominant Election

In a near-certain win, Rwandan President Paul Kagame is poised to secure a fourth term as leader of the East African country. At a campaign rally in Gasabo, some 12 kilometers from Kigali city center, Kagame was met with a sea of enthusiastic supporters waving party flags and banners. He is running virtually unopposed in the election, which takes place on Monday, after three decades in power.

As Kagame addressed the crowd atop an open van, he emphasized his commitment to his party, Rwanda Patriotic Front’s (RPF), slogans and chants. The president also took a moment to thank his supporters, saying, “I have come to say thank you in advance. May you keep focus on the important things and do not be distracted by the detractors.”

With no credible opposition to speak of, Kagame is expected to take a similar 99% share of the vote, just as he did in the 2017 election. The main opposition parties, led by Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, have struggled to garner support and build momentum.

Despite a lack of competition, Kagame’s supporters are undeterred. One supporter, Nkomezi Jean-Claude, said, “We are voting for him because there are many things he has done in the past and now he is continuing to do many things into the future. So we are very happy because as you can see there are many things that you can count that our president has done.”

Mukagasana Josianne added, “In the past women had no say in this country, we were uneducated. But now we have a say, our daughters go to school and even our husbands have employment, all because of Paul Kagame.”

Campaign rallies have concluded, with voters heading to the polls on Monday to determine Kagame’s future as president. The results are expected to cement Kagame’s grip on power for at least another five years.

Additional sources: AP