Kigali, Rwanda — Rwandan President Paul Kagame has once again secured a resounding victory in the country’s presidential election, according to preliminary results released late Monday evening. With 79% of the ballots counted so far, Kagame has garnered an overwhelming 99% of the vote, the country’s electoral body announced.

Kagame, who has been a dominant political figure in Rwanda since 1994, achieved a similar landslide victory in the 2017 election. As polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time on Monday, voters queued up patiently, eager to exercise their civic duty. By 3 p.m. local time, polling stations had closed, and the vote counting process commenced.
Across the East African nation, more than nine million people were registered to vote in this election. The high voter turnout and smooth voting process were noted by many. Barimukije Pheneas, casting his ballot at the Rwandexco polling centre in Kigali, expressed his support for the 66-year-old incumbent. “We voted smoothly without any crowding, and we are happy,” Pheneas said. “I voted for Paul Kagame because he has achieved a lot for us; he united us.”
Motorcycle taxi driver Karangwa Vedaste described the voting process as calm and peaceful, though he chose to keep his vote private. “I voted for a leader I trust. The one I voted for is a secret in my heart. We will share it when he wins,” Vedaste told Reuters.
Kagame’s two opponents in the race, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, were among the only eight applicants approved to run. However, the outcome of the election was largely anticipated, given the historical context and the banning of Kagame’s most prominent critics by Rwandan courts.
The preliminary results mirror the 2017 election, where Kagame similarly dominated with nearly 99% of the vote. This latest victory reinforces his longstanding grip on power, continuing his leadership that has spanned three decades in various capacities.
As the final counts are awaited, Rwanda and the international community watch closely to see the final confirmation of Kagame’s continued presidency. The results, while not surprising to many, reflect the president’s enduring influence and the country’s political landscape under his administration.- Agencies