(Kigali) The landslide victory of Rwandan President Paul Kagame in the July 15 poll was confirmed with the publication of the final results, giving 99.18% of the vote to the outgoing head of state, even if his party saw its representation in Parliament reduced.
The 66-year-old head of state, who has effectively ruled the small East African country for 30 years, achieved an even higher score than his 98.79% in the 2017 presidential election, after obtaining 95.05% in 2003 and 93.08% in 2010. He obtained 99.18% of the vote, the National Electoral Commission declared on Monday evening.
Only two candidates were allowed to compete: Frank Habineza, leader of the only authorized opposition party (the Democratic Green Party, DGPR), and the independent Philippe Mpayimana, who obtained 0.50% and 0.32% respectively.
Paul Kagame has been Rwanda’s strongman since he overthrew the extremist Hutu government in July 1994, along with the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebellion, which instigated the genocide that, according to the UN, left more than 800,000 dead, mainly among the Tutsi minority.
Credited with Rwanda’s spectacular economic recovery after the genocide, he is also criticized for the lack of democratic openness in the country.
In the parliamentary elections, which took place on the same day as the presidential election, Mr Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and its allies won 37 of the 53 seats. That was down from 40 seats in the previous assembly.
Frank Habineza’s party retained two seats, while the others were won by RPF allies.
The other 27 seats are reserved through a quota system for women, young people and the disabled.
They are awarded by indirect ballot to candidates who do not belong to any party: 24 women are elected by municipal and regional councillors, two young people by the National Youth Council and one disabled person by the Federation of Disabled Persons’ Associations.