African leaders congratulate Kagame on his re-election
Paul Kagame has secured his fourth term as President of Rwanda following the announcement of partial results from the July 15 national elections by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Kagame has received congratulatory messages from his African counterparts on his decisive victory in the recent general election.
Presidents William Ruto of Kenya, Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar, Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, and Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea Bissau were among the first to send their good wishes to Kagame, who garnered over 99.15 percent of the votes, according to partial results released by the NEC on Monday.
President Rajoelina of Madagascar expressed his congratulations on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “On behalf of the Malagasy people, I extend my warm congratulations to my brother Paul Kagame for his re-election with 99.15% of the votes, according to the partial results. We wish Rwanda peace and prosperity.”
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania also extended her congratulations, saying, “On behalf of the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency Paul Kagame for being re-elected as the President of the Republic of Rwanda. I look forward to working with you in fostering the relations between our two countries and in the pursuit of East Africa’s unity and prosperity.”
President Nyusi of Mozambique shared his sentiments, “Dear brother Paul Kagame! On behalf of the People, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Your Excellency, the ruling Party and the Rwandan People, offering our best wishes for success as you assume the new mandate in the position overwhelmingly entrusted by the People of Rwanda.”
As of Tuesday, the NEC had counted 96.6 percent of the cast votes, or 8,761,453 out of 9,071,157. The ruling coalition, RPF-Inkotanyi, secured 62.67 percent of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, according to NEC chair Oda Gasinzigwa. The tallying of the presidential and parliamentary votes is ongoing, with the NEC expected to announce the provisional results by July 20 and the final results on July 27.
David Maraga, the head of the EAC Election Observation Mission, described the Rwandan elections as "one of the best organised electoral processes I have seen."
Election observers from the African Union (AU), East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) have also praised the smooth conduct of the elections. They commended the security agencies for ensuring the safety of citizens throughout the campaign period and on election day. The observers highlighted the orderly and peaceful manner in which the elections were carried out, reflecting positively on the electoral process. This commendation underscores the efforts made by the electoral bodies and security agencies to uphold democratic processes and ensure a safe voting experience for all citizens.
