Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has been re-elected to a fourth term in office after winning the country’s election by a massive landslide, with 99.18% of the vote, according to the full provisional results released by the National Electoral Commission.
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 swapped aside the challenge of the only two contenders – Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, and independent Philippe Mpayimana – who were approved out of eight applicants to run by the state-run electoral commission. Both candidates have conceded defeat in Monday’s election.
Despite some criticisms of ruling with an iron fist, Kagame’s supporters have attributed his wide popularity to his performance as president, citing the country’s stability and economic growth under his leadership.
The Rwandan President has also received global recognition for his efforts in peace building, reconciliation and development. According to Reuters, Kagame has won praise from Western and regional leaders for helping to end the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and rebuilding the country into an attractive destination for investment.