Paul Kagame was sworn into office on Sunday for another five-year term, his fourth, as Rwanda’s president after winning the country’s election in July, with 99.18% of the vote.
The 66-year-old, who has been in power for 24 years, surpassed his own record of 98.63 per cent of the vote in the 2017 elections, 95% of votes in 2003, and 93% in 2010.
Kagame swept aside the challenge of the only two candidates – Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, and independent Philippe Mpayimana – who were approved out of eight applicants to run by the country’s electoral commission.
The swearing in ceremony, which held in the packed 45,000 capacity Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali, was attended by several dignitaries, including many African heads of states.
“For the last 30 years, our country has been good work in progress. This new mandate means the beginning of even more hard work. That expectation to keep improving is not a dream, it is a reality. We can do it and we will do it,” Kagame was quoted as saying.
The Rwanda president pledged to preserve peace and national sovereignty, and consolidate national unity, adding that regional peace was a “priority.”
