2024 Rwandan general election

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2024 Rwandan general election
Presidential election
← 2017 15 July 2024 2029 →
Reporting
78.94%
as of 17 July 2024
 
Day 2 - November 02 2023 GS Rwanda (53306362196) (cropped).jpg
Frank Habineza 2016-12-08.jpg
Nominee Paul Kagame Frank Habineza
Party RPF DGPR
Popular vote 7,099,810 38,301
Percentage 99.15% 0.53%
President of Rwanda before election

Paul Kagame
RPF

Elected President of Rwanda

Paul Kagame
RPF

Politics of Rwanda
Constitution
Government
Parliament
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
United Nations in Rwanda

General elections were held in Rwanda on 15 July 2024 to elect the president and members of the Chamber of Deputies.[1][2] The election was the first in Rwanda's history in which voting for both the presidency and parliament was held on the same day.[3]

In an election that was criticized as unfair for its barring of serious opposition candidates,[4] incumbent President Paul Kagame, in office since 2000, was elected to a fourth term.

Background

A referendum in 2015 approved constitutional amendments that would allow incumbent President Paul Kagame to run for a third term in office in 2017, as well as shortening presidential terms from seven to five years, although the latter change would not come into effect until 2024.[5] In 2022 Kagame told France 24 that he intended to run for president again in the 2024 election, despite having already served three terms in office.[6]

Kagame's rule in the country has been described as authoritarian. According to Freedom House, Kagame is an autocrat who is responsible for "surveillance, intimidation, torture and renditions or suspected assassinations of exiled dissidents". Human Rights Watch says that Kagame's government arrested and threatened political opponents.[7] Freedom House considered the elections in Rwanda neither free nor fair, citing reports of ballot stuffing, political intimidation, blocking of opposition challengers, and other undemocratic practices.[8]

Electoral system

The president of Rwanda is elected in one round of voting by plurality.[9]

The 80-seat Chamber of Deputies is elected by two methods:

Around 9.5 million people were registered to vote.[12] Advance voting for overseas Rwandans was held in the country's diplomatic missions on 14 July.[13] Polling on election day opened at 07:00 and lasted until 15:00,[14] while voting for indirectly elected seats was held on 16 July.[3] Provisional results are expected by 20 July,[15] while the final result is expected on 27 July.[16]

Presidential candidates

Kagame announced his bid for a fourth term on 20 September 2023 in an interview with the pan-African Jeune Afrique magazine, saying "I am happy with the confidence that the Rwandans have shown in me. I will always serve them, as much when I can. Yes, I am indeed a candidate."[17] Kagame's campaign was endorsed by member parties of Rwanda's ruling government coalition, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), including the Ideal Democratic Party, the Democratic Union of the Rwandan People, the Prosperity and Solidarity Party, and the Rwandan Socialist Party.[18] Kagame's candidacy was finalized by the RPF without objections at the end of its congress on 9 March 2024.[19] He was also endorsed by the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party on 31 March.[20]

Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda also indicated he would run again in 2024.[21] He had previously run in 2017.

In 2019, activist Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza stated that her United Democratic Forces party would challenge Kagame if it was officially recognised by the government. She claimed that there were delays despite her party having the necessary amount of registered members.[22] She said in 2023 that while recognizing Kagame's achievements while President, his greatest achievement would be stepping aside to let a peaceful transfer of power take place.[23] However, Ingabire had been convicted in 2010 for threatening state security and downplaying the Rwandan genocide by asking why no Hutu victims were included in an official memorial.[24] She was thus barred from running on 13 March 2024.[24]

On 7 June the Rwandan electoral commission confirmed Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent, as the final candidates for the presidential election, the same three candidates as in 2017. The applications of six other candidates, including Diane Rwigara of the People Salvation Movement, were rejected.[25] The final list of candidates for the presidential and parliamentary election was released on 14 June.[26] The only three presidential candidates allowed to run were the same as from 2017, where Kagame won with more than 98% of the vote. DW described the election as a "re-run of the non-contest in 2017."[27] Amnesty International criticized the censorship of opposition in the race as having "a chilling effect and limits the space for debate for people of Rwanda". The Independent described the election as "widely criticised as unfair."[4]

Campaign

Campaigning was held from 22 June to 12 July.[19] Kagame pledged to continue his policies upon reelection. Habineza criticised censorship and arbitrary detentions under Kagame, and pledged to increase access to water and expand mechanised farming. Mpayimana pledged to reform the mining sector to benefit small-scale miners and expand access to loans for university students, and said that his campaign was also aimed at promoting "political maturity" in the country.[13]

Incidents

On 23 June, at an electoral rally attended by Kagame in Rubavu, a crowd crush killed one and injured 37.[28]

Results

President

78.94% reporting
CandidatePartyVotes%
Paul KagameRwandan Patriotic Front7,099,81099.15
Frank HabinezaDemocratic Green Party38,3010.53
Philippe MpayimanaIndependent22,5730.32
Total7,160,684100.00
Registered voters/turnout98[29]
Source: NEC,[30] Africanews,[31] BBC[29]

Chamber of Deputies

In the parliamentary election, the RPF and allies are projected to win, with provisional results on 16 July giving those parties 33 of 53 seats.[32]

96.60% reporting
Party or allianceVotes%
RPF CoalitionRwandan Patriotic Front5,471,10462.67
Centrist Democratic Party
Prosperity and Solidarity Party
Party for Progress and Concord
Democratic Union of the Rwandan People
Rwandan Socialist Party
Liberal Party957,60210.97
Social Democratic Party827,1829.48
Ideal Democratic Party507,4745.81
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda462,2905.30
Social Party Imberakuri459,5265.26
Independents44,8810.51
Indirectly-elected members
Total8,730,059100.00
Source: NEC[33]

Aftermath

Kagame thanked voters over the result in a speech at RPF headquarters in Kigali.[29]

References

  1. ^ "Rwanda to hold presidential, parliamentary polls in July 2024". The EastAfrican. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Rwanda sets 15 July 2024 election date for presidential, legislative polls". North Africa Post. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Rwanda election: Kagame eyes fourth term as voters head to the polls". Al Jazeera. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Sharma, Sweta (16 July 2024). "Paul Kagame set to win flawed Rwanda election with 99% of vote". The Independent. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Paul Kagame's third term: Rwanda referendum on 18 December". BBC News. 9 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Paul Kagame to seek fourth term as president of Rwanda". BBC News. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  7. ^ Robertson, Dylan (21 July 2023). "Ministers' embrace of Rwanda's Kagame undermines democratic values: governance prof". CBC. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Rwanda: Freedom in the World 2024 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Rwanda". IFES Election Guide.
  10. ^ a b "Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union.
  11. ^ "Rwandans vote in parliamentary elections". Al Jazeera. 16 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Paul Kagame appears set to extend his long presidency of Rwanda in an election Monday". Associated Press. 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Will Paul Kagame win a landslide in Rwanda election? Here's what to know". Al Jazeera. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Rwanda heads to polls with President Kagame expected to secure fourth term". France 24. 15 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Rwanda votes in elections President Paul Kagame is widely expected to win". Africanews. 12 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Vote counting begins in Rwanda's presidential election". Africanews. 16 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Rwanda's veteran president Kagame to seek re-election in 2024". Reuters. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023. I am happy with the confidence that the Rwandans have shown in me. I will always serve them, as much when I can. Yes, I am indeed a candidate.
  18. ^ Gahigi, Moses (7 October 2023). "Four small parties back Kagame's 2024 presidential bid". The EastAfrican. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Rwanda's ruling party again chooses Kagame as presidential candidate". France 24. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Rwanda: Kagame endorsed as candidate by seven political parties". Africanews. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Rwanda: Kagame announces he will run for a fourth term". Africanews. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023. The only other candidate so far in the presidential race is lawmaker Frank Habineza of the Green Democratic party. He said he was not surprised by Kagame's announcement and would continue to fight for democracy.
  22. ^ Elmendorp, Ruud (30 October 2019). "Rwanda Opposition Figure Presses On Against Political Odds". Voice of America. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  23. ^ Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza (21 November 2023). "Why President Kagame Should Not Run for a Fourth Term". The Elephant. Retrieved 27 November 2023. Therefore, while recognising with gratitude the achievements that he has made over the past three decades, Kagame's greatest achievement yet would be to step away from power at the end of his term in 2024. In so doing, Kagame will have paved the way for better leadership in Rwanda and opened the door to future generations of Rwandans aspiring to become leaders in Rwanda.
  24. ^ a b "Victoire Ingabire: Rwandan opposition leader barred from election". BBC. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Kagame critic barred from Rwanda's presidential race". BBC. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Rwanda: Two candidates up against Paul Kagame in July 15 poll". Africanews. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Rwanda: President Kagame reelected with 99% — early results". DW. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  28. ^ "1 killed in stampede as Rwanda's Kagame begins campaign for reelection". Africanews. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  29. ^ a b c "Kagame wins Rwanda vote in landslide – partial results". BBC. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  30. ^ National Electoral Commission | Rwanda [@RwandaElections] (15 July 2024). "Press release: Partial results of the 2024 presidential elections" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  31. ^ "Kagame wins fourth term in Rwanda with 99.15 per cent of the votes". Africanews. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  32. ^ Bahati, Moise M. (17 July 2024). "RPF-led coalition wins 62% votes in parliamentary polls". The New Times. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  33. ^ National Electoral Commission | Rwanda [@RwandaElections] (17 July 2024). "Press release: Partial results of the general elections for deputies" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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