Polls close in Rwanda as Kagame eyes fourth term

Polls have closed and the counting of votes has begun in Rwanda’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

The African nation’s leader, Paul Kagame, is expected to win, as he bids to extend his iron-fisted rule for another five years.

Polling stations opened at about 07h00 local time and closed at 15h00 local time on Monday across the East African country, where more than nine million people are registered to participate, reported the AFP news agency.

Kagame, who has been Rwanda’s de facto leader for three decades, is almost certain to retain the presidency, facing only two challengers after Rwandan courts banned his most prominent critics.

The outlook mirrors that of the last election in 2017, when Kagame dominated his rivals with close to 99% of the vote.

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 told Reuters.

“I voted for Paul Kagame, because he has achieved a lot for us; he united us.”

Motorcycle taxi driver Karangwa Vedaste told Reuters the voting process was calm and peaceful, but declined to say who he had chosen.

“I voted for a leader I trust. The one I voted for is a secret in my heart. We will share it when he wins,” Vedaste said.

WHO IS FACING KAGAME?

Frank Habineza, the leader of Rwanda’s Democratic Green Party, and independent Philippe Mpayimana were the only two candidates approved to run against Kagame out of eight applicants.

Rwandan courts rejected appeals from prominent opposition figures Bernard Ntaganda and Victoire Ingabire to remove previous convictions that effectively disqualified them from the race.

The National Electoral Commission also barred high-profile Kagame critic Diane Rwigara, citing issues with her paperwork – the second time she was barred from running.

Ahead of the election, rights group Amnesty International said Rwanda’s opposition faces “severe restrictions . . . as well as threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution, trumped-up charges, killings and enforced disappearances”.

PARALLEL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

For the first time, Rwanda’s parliamentary election is being held alongside the presidential vote, with more than 500 candidates vying for 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Of those, 53 are elected by universal suffrage. The RPF currently holds 40 seats and its allies 11, while Habineza’s Green Party has two members of parliament.

Another 24 spots are reserved for women, two for young people, and one for people with disabilities.

All candidates for these seats must be independent, and indirect elections will be held on Tuesday. – Al Jazeera