Rwanda: Kagame wins fourth term with 99% vote

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is preparing on Tuesday for a fourth term in office after winning 99.15 percent of the vote in an election with only two competitors allowed to compete against him.

The results of Monday’s election were never in doubt, with Kagame dominating the small African country with an iron fist as de facto leader and then president for three decades.

The election commission published partial results seven hours after polls closed, showing that Kagame had won 99.15 percent of the vote—more than the 98.79 percent he received in the previous ballot seven years earlier.

According to the results, Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza received only 0.53% of the vote, while independent Philippe Mpayimana received 0.32%.

In an address from the headquarters of his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the 66-year-old praised Rwandans for another five years in power.

“The results that have been presented indicate a very high score; these are not just figures; even if it were 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.”

Full provisional results are due by July 20 and definitive results by July 27.

“In general, the electoral process happened in a safe and transparent atmosphere for Rwandans living abroad and at home,” the National Electoral Commission said in a statement.

With 65 percent of the population under the age of 30, Kagame is the only leader most Rwandans have ever known.