Credit Photo Reuters/Rwandan President Paul Kagame
Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Friday officially declared his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for July 15.
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Rwandan President Paul Kagame who has served as president since 2000, was nominated as the candidate.
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Kagame, who has served as president since 2000, was nominated as the candidate of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) following the party’s endorsement at its congress in March. The upcoming election will feature both presidential and parliamentary seats. According to the electoral calendar, candidates have until May 30 to submit their applications.
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According to the National Electoral Commission, about 9.5 million Rwandans are eligible to vote in this year’s elections.
Paul Kagame is the current president of Rwanda and has been since 2000. He has won three terms. He rose to power after defeating the Rwandan National Army to end the genocidal war that broke out in Rwanda in 1994 as the leader of the RPF rebel forces.
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In his current 24-year long reign, Kagame has been lauded for his efforts that have stabilized the economy and promoted economic growth, but he is also known for his tyrannical streak. It said that Kagame has defence agency networks dedicated to assassinating, imprisoning, and exiling his critics.
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Rwanda has somewhat benefitted from leadership as he has been able to procure vast amounts of foreign aid that has helped the country greatly. Government reports claim to have lifted 1 million people out of poverty between 2008 and 2012 and that the country’s economy has grown by a steady 8% in the same time frame.