President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was inaugurated on Sunday for a five-year term following a decisive victory in the previous month’s election, which prolonged his tenure of nearly twenty-five years.
The 66-year-old ex-guerrilla leader secured the July election with 99.18 % of the votes, amidst the disqualification of eight other candidates, including his most outspoken opponents, by the electoral commission.
The oath-taking ceremony occurred at Kigali’s Amahoro National Stadium, witnessed by thousands, many donned the national flag’s yellow, green, and blue. Heads of state from twenty-two African nations were present.
A constitutional amendment in 2015 permitted Kagame to continue his presidency.
Kagame has been praised by Western and regional leaders for his role in halting the 1994 genocide and transforming Rwanda into a desirable location for investment and aid. However, his image has been tarnished by allegations of human rights violations, quelling dissent, and backing insurgents in the Democratic Republic of Congo, charges he has consistently refuted.
