Rwandans vote ‘smoothly’ in election expected to extend Kagame’s rule

Rwandans lined up on Monday to elect their next president, with incumbent Paul Kagame widely expected to win a fourth term and extend his near quarter century in charge of the East African country.

The two men standing against him – Frank Habineza from the Democratic Green Party and independent Philippe Mpayimana – said they were hoping to make some progress, but analysts and rights groups said Kagame’s overwhelming victory was all but certain.
Kagame, who got more than 93% of the vote at the last three elections, won praise from Western and regional leaders at the time for helping end the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The U.S. State Department and others have also lauded the development of the economy.
Campaign groups including Human Rights Watch have accused authorities of cracking down on journalists, the opposition and civil society groups before the vote. Kagame has dismissed such accusations and described himself as the stability candidate.
His reelection could signal a measure of political stability for his corner of a fractured region, but also continued global scrutiny, given the accusations of abuses and of supporting rebels in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo – a charge he has also denied.
At the Rwandexco polling centre in the capital Kigali, Barimukije Pheneas said he would vote 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.”