Rwanda Votes: Incumbent Kagame Poised for Another Victory Amid Praises and Criticisms

Voters in Rwanda headed to the polls on Monday to elect their next president, with the 66-year-old incumbent Paul Kagame, who has ruled the central African country for nearly a quarter of a century, expected to cruise to victory.

Polling centers opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) for the more than 9 million eligible voters to vote for the president and lawmakers. Provisional results are expected by July 20.

Undated image of Rwanda President Paul Kagame.

On the streets, most voters expressed strong support for Kagame, praising his efforts in shepherding the country of 14 million from the ravages of the 1994 genocide by prioritizing development and implementing effective social services.

"Kagame has achieved a lot for us ... we have security, all children can go to school, and they get meals at school," said Tuyiringirimana Olivier, a construction worker from Rwanda's southern province. "That is why we must support him. I have already made my choice. I am confident that Rwanda is heading in a good direction."

Kagame, who led a rebel force that captured power after ending the genocide in 1994, has been president since 2000. He is running against two other candidates, Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana, who also challenged him in the last polls in 2017.

Several other candidates, including some of Kagame's most vocal critics, were barred from running for various reasons, including prior criminal convictions.

Kagame won nearly 99% of the vote in the 2017 poll, which followed a constitutional change removing term limits that would have prevented him from standing again. He has won acclaim for transforming Rwanda into a thriving economy. Still, he has also faced criticism from rights activists and Western nations for muzzling the media, stifling opposition, and backing rebel groups in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda's government has denied all accusations against it, and while campaigning, Kagame promised continued development and stability.

Rwanda's human rights record was thrown into the spotlight when the country struck a migration deal in 2022 with the UK to receive thousands of asylum seekers. Britain's new government has since said it would scrap the deal.

As Rwandans cast their votes, the world watches closely to see whether Kagame's legacy will continue to shape the future of this resilient nation.