Rwanda’s long-time President Paul Kagame has easily won a third term in office in a vote he had called “a formality.”

Kagame, the controversial president of Rwanda, won a landslide victory in the small African state’s election, securing a third term extending his 17 years in power.

The result gives him another seven years leading the small east African nation praised for its economic performance but criticised for its silencing of opponents.

Electoral authorities overnight said Mr Kagame had won more than 98 per cent of the vote with 80 per cent of ballots counted, with no major change expected when final results are announced later on Saturday.

He addressed jubilant supporters at party headquarters and urged Rwandans, including those who did not support him, to work together.

“This election was criticised so much due to me continuing to be your leader, especially people from outside the country because they oppose the will of Rwandans,” he told supporters. “But Rwandans have shown that it was not manipulated by anyone but their own will.”

Mr Kagame has led the country of 12 million people since his rebels helped to end its genocide in 1994 during which more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by Hutu extremists.

The Associated Press said 59-year-old Kagame has been praised for the country’s economic growth, but human rights groups accuse his government of using state powers to silence opposition. Rwandan authorities, including the president, deny it.

A constitutional amendment in 2015 allows him to stay in power until 2034 if he pursues it.

Mr Kagame was running against Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda – the only permitted opposition party – and independent candidate and former journalist Philippe Mpayimana.

Three potential candidates were disqualified for allegedly failing to fulfil requirements including collecting enough signatures.

With 80 per cent of votes counted, Mr Mpayimana had just 0.72 per cent and conceded defeat and congratulated Mr Kagame. Mr Habineza had 0.45 per cent.

More than 80 per cent of Rwanda’s 6.9 million registered voters cast their ballots, according to Charles Munyaneza, executive secretary of the Rwanda Electoral Commission.

In Rwanda’s capital Kigali, there had been little hint of the coming vote. Candidates had been barred from putting campaign posters in most public places, including schools and hospitals.

The electoral commission vetted candidates’ campaign messages, warning that their social media accounts could be blocked otherwise.

Two decades of often deadly attacks on political opponents, journalists and rights activists created a “climate of fear” ahead of Rwanda’s election, Amnesty International said in a report last month.

In 2010, Mr Kagame won with 93 per cent of the vote.

In July, he told a campaign rally that “the day of the presidential elections will just be a formality.”


http://tribuneonlineng.com/paul-kagame-wins-3rd-term-17-year-presidency-rwanda/

Stoopind pipu
How do they rig so efficiently even Jesus can not win 93% of votes
What has he given rwandans? Eternal life?

Paul Kagame... The man loved by Hutus and Tutsi Rwandans . He singlehandedly ended Rwandan civil war.

DuBLINGreenb:
Stoopind pipu
How do they rig so efficiently even Jesus can not win 93% of votes

more like one party system

Goodluck to him.

The guy has tried for that country in terms of economic development and they have one of the fastest growing economies in Africa but I don't understand why African leaders like this sit-tight syndrome.

I think Africans are used to monarchical and hereditary system of government but the whites came to force their own system on us. We need to develop a system that suits our way.

.

Hutus have overpaid for the sins of the genocide.

The Tutsis have now succeeded in making them second class citizens politically.

Visit Rwanda and you will cry for Nigeria...

He has ruled for too long nah. That's why Africa is still backward. He's still rulinq Rwanda with his old ideas and method...Well it seems Rwandans are happy with him

Old news

only in Africa

Na only him dey the Country?

Africa mentality

MadCow1:
Rwanda still be country?

Will you be surprised if I prove to you that Rwanda is 100 times better than the Nigeria of today?

His excellency, President for life, Mr Paul Kagame.

Sentiments apart





Africans re sick

cool. western democracy is a scam. Africans shud embrace Asian tigers kind of leadership. who democracy epp for iraq, Afghanistan or libya. ride on Rwandan msn

flyca:

Will you be surprised if I prove to you that Rwanda is 100times better than the Nigeria of today?

Heheheheheheee... Prove it then.

Hmmm

oh africa

Andrew3:
His excellency, President for life, Mr Paul Kagame.

I taya oooo....as if Na ONLY HIM dey the Country

So each term is like 8yrs

MadCow1:


Heheheheheheee... Prove it then.

Actually, there is no need for it. Just know that it is.

Africa!

DuBLINGreenb:
Stoopind pipu
How do they rig so efficiently even Jesus can not win 93% of votes
What has he given rwandans? Eternal life?

Haba! Are you familiar with happenings in Rwanda or you are only just reacting based on the jaundiced report from AP?

"Kagame, the controversial president of Rwanda..." is as jaundiced a statement as can ever be made by anybody. The Western powers and there media have this view of Paul Kagame as an autocrat but cannot dispute the fact that since Kagame took power in Rwanda, this small but densely populated central African country has been the fasted growing economy in Africa, the most gender equitable, most educated (in dual European languages of French and English), the most peaceful and all.

Rwanda has the lowest unemployment rate in continental Africa and the least dependent on foreign aids amongst the East and Central African community. Infact, Kagame has reduced Rwanda's foreign aid to budget ratio from about 80% after the 1994 genocide to less than 20% in 2017 and the government is bent on achieving zero dependence on foreign donors before president Kagame leave office.

According to my good pilot friend (omo Naija wey finish from OOU) who left Arik Air for Rwandair and now resides in Kigali, Rwanda is the best managed country in Africa today. In Kigali, the government have a dedicated programme to rehabilitate street children and the quality of government funded education available to homeless Rwandan children beats standard private schools in Nigeria.

Kagame is not a sit tight dictator, no, not by such definition of Idi Amin or Paul Biya. Kagame, if he isn't derailed either by external forces or by his own folly, could be the Lee Kuan Yew of Africa.

flyca:

Actually, there is no need for it. Just know that it is.

Fhuck that.. Nobody can "know" what they don't "know" ..


So without proof, I will take your comment under advisement.

BigBelleControl:
The guy has tried for that country in terms of economic development and they have one of the fastest growing economies in Africa but I don't understand why African leaders like this sit-tight syndrome.

I think Africans are used to monarchical and hereditary system of government but the whites came to force their own system on us. We need to develop a system that suits our way.

On point. Nuff said, let's say he's a good ruler but with such constitutional amendment in place, the day they have a bad ruler smh.

Kai