Kagame congratulated over Rwanda reelection

KIGALI — Rwanda's presidential rivals in the just concluded elections congratulated the incumbent President Paul Kagame of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front coalition, or RPF, on the results of the presidential elections.

Provisional results released on Thursday by the National Electoral Commission showed Kagame won 99.18 percent of the votes cast on Monday.

Opposition candidate Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana received 0.50 percent and 0.32 percent of the votes, respectively.

Conceding defeat, Mpayimana said he respects the choice of the people.

"I acknowledge my defeat in the Rwandan presidential elections of July 14 and 15, 2024. I congratulate the winner, His Excellency Paul Kagame. I respect the choice of the people," he said.

Rwanda's election saw 98 percent of more than 9 million voters choose the president and members of parliament after a three-week election campaign across 30 districts.

Habineza also congratulated Kagame on his reelection and wished him good luck, saying the election was well organized from campaigns to polling compared to 2017 polls, and his eyes are now set on the next election after five years.

RPF Secretary-General Gasamagera Wellars thanked Rwandans for the overwhelming support shown in the elections, saying it demonstrated the trust and confidence placed in the RPF's leadership and the country's vision.

"We remain committed to working for national unity, sustainable development and prosperity for all Rwandans," he said.

Kagame, 66, assumed power in 2000. He is credited with spearheading the country's liberation war of the then Rwanda Patriotic Army, an army wing of the RPF that stopped the genocide against the Tutsis in which about 1 million people were killed, fostering unity and peace restoration in the country after the 100-day massacre.

He won the 2017 election for a third term with more than 98 percent of the vote.

Addressing a news conference a day before the elections, Kagame said: "Priority number one after the election is to continue to make as much progress as we can in areas of security, stability of the country as well as social economic development."

"Rwandans want more development and it's what I'm thinking of providing in the next term. More investment, being able to feed themselves if we can move faster to deliver that to them, the better," he said.

Meanwhile, voters also chose representatives in the 80-seat Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of Rwanda's parliament.

A total of 589 candidates competed for the 80 seats.

The RPF coalition won 68.83 percent of the 53 seats representing political parties and independent candidates, according to provisional results.

The opposition Liberal Party led by Donatille Mukabalisa, a former speaker of parliament, won 8.66 percent of the votes, while the Social Democratic Party led by former foreign minister Vincent Biruta garnered 8.62 percent, provisional results showed.

The East African Community on Thursday described Monday's general elections in Rwanda as peaceful and generally reflecting the will of the people.

Xinhua