By Byobe Malenga
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) – Rwandan President Paul Kagame has secured a record fourth term in the election, according to unofficial results on Tuesday.
Chrysologue Karangwa, President of the Electoral Commission of Rwanda, declared Kagame the winner after he received 7,099,810 votes, equating to 99.15% of the total 9,071,157 votes cast.
Kagame, 66, representing the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), defeated his closest rival, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, who garnered 38,301 votes (0.53%), and Phillipe Mpayimana, who received 22,753 votes (0.32%).
This election marks Rwanda's fourth since the 1994 genocide, with citizens voting for both the presidential and parliamentary seats. The counting of parliamentary votes is still underway, with over 500 candidates competing for 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament.
Kagame, a de facto leader of the country since the end of the 1994 genocide and president since 2000, won the 2017 election with more than 98% of the vote. His latest campaign focused on promises of inclusive development, security, and improving citizens' livelihoods without leaving anyone behind.
He was eligible to run in the current election due to a 2015 constitutional amendment that allowed him to seek three additional terms. While this amendment permitted Kagame a seven-year term in 2017, it also reduced presidential terms to five years starting in 2024.