Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, was getting ready to take office for a fourth term on Tuesday after garnering an overwhelming 99.15 percent of the vote in an election in which only two opponents were permitted to contest against him.
With Kagame controlling the tiny African nation with an iron grip as its de facto leader and then president for three decades, the result of Monday’s election was always certain.
Seven hours after votes closed, the electoral commission released partial results, which revealed that Kagame had received 99.15 percent of the vote, which was even higher than the 98.79 percent he received in the previous survey conducted seven years prior.
With 79 percent of the votes counted, Frank Habineza, the Democratic Green Party candidate, managed to garner only 0.53 percent of the vote, while Philippe Mpayimana, the independent, managed to secure 0.32 percent.
Speaking from the headquarters of his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the 66-year-old expressed gratitude to the Rwandan people for extending his term in power by a further five years.
“The results that have been presented indicate a very high score, these are not just figures, even if it was 100 percent, these are not just numbers,” he said.
“These figures show the trust, and that is what is most important,” he added.
“I am hopeful that together we can solve all problems.”