Since taking office as president in 2000, he has won more than 90% of the vote in every election. He won in 2017 with an astounding 99%.
The election commission, which is under state control, disqualified the other candidates, so Mr. Kagame, 66, is one of the only two candidates allowed to run.
Since his rebel troops seized control of Rwanda at the end of the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of almost 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, President Kagame has presided over the country’s politics.
Since then, he has received recognition for bringing the nation together and leading its remarkable renaissance.
Dr. Felix Ndahinda, a specialist on the Great Lakes region, told the news that “30 years ago, Rwanda was essentially written off, but thanks to the leadership under Kagame and his ruling party, Rwanda managed to build some stability.”
However, Mr. Kagame’s detractors claim that he actively suppresses opposition, even going so far as to plan the cross-border assassinations of opposition figures.
Mr. Kagame has always stood up for Rwanda’s human rights record, claiming that his nation upholds political liberties.
However, an analyst told the news that the election was just a “formality.”.
The electoral body reports that around nine million people are registered to vote, and at least two million of those persons.
