The Rwandan population cast their votes in the presidential and legislative elections. President Paul Kagame, who has been in power for 24 years, is seeking a fourth five-year term. Only two other candidates have been authorized to run against him: Frank Habineza, a deputy from the Democratic Green Party, and the independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana. More critical candidates have been excluded from the race. In Kigali, the capital, polling stations have seen a high turnout since they opened this morning at 5 AM UTC.
The people of Rwanda are highly mobilized for this election, which is widely compared to a wedding ceremony, with polling stations decorated as if for a reception.
This morning, some voters told RFI that they consider voting almost an “obligation,” saying it would be “ungrateful” not to go to the polls to “support the progress of their country.”
In some neighborhoods of Kigali, volunteers have been deployed to go door-to-door, urging residents to vote using loudspeakers.
There is a significant presence of young first-time voters, around 2.5 million of whom have never known any leader other than President Paul Kagame. The head of state himself cast his ballot in the early afternoon, later than expected, and not at the initially announced polling station.
Paul Kagame, dressed in a khaki shirt with dark glasses, greeted those in line before entering the voting booth.
Opposition candidates voted earlier in the morning. Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party stated that he would accept the election’s outcome if it is conducted fairly, which has been the case so far.
Polling stations are scheduled to close at 1 PM UTC (3 PM local time), with the electoral commission expected to provide trends later in the evening. The final results are anticipated on July 27, 2024.