Published on 18/07/2024
President Yoweri kaguta Museveni extended his congratulations to H.E. Paul Kagame on his re-election as Rwanda’s President, highlighting their strong bilateral relations. Museveni expressed hope for continued collaboration and regional stability.
Museveni sent out his congratulatory message via his official X handle. Below is the message:
“Your Excellency, Paul Kagame, I wish to congratulate you and the RPF party on the victory in Rwanda’s national elections. Your re-election is a testament to the trust and confidence the people of Rwanda have in your leadership. Uganda recognizes Rwanda as a strategic ally with a shared vision of peace and prosperity. I look forward to collaborating with you for the benefit of our nations and the East African Community.”
Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa, President of the Electoral Commission of Rwanda, declared Kagame the winner after he received 7,099,810 votes, equating to 99.15 percent of the total 9,071,157 votes cast.
Kagame, 66, representing the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), defeated his closest rival, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party, who garnered 38,301 votes (0.53 percent) and Phillipe Mpayimana, who received 22,753 votes (0.32 percent).
Rwanda’s 2024 elections mark the fourth term since the 1994 genocide with citizens voting for both presidential and parliamentary seats. President Kagame, in power since 2000 and a key figure since the genocide’s end, won the 2017 election with over 98 percent of the vote.
His campaign promises focus on inclusive development, security and improved livelihoods. A 2015 constitutional amendment allows Kagame to seek three additional terms, making him eligible for the current election. While this amendment gave him a seven-year term in 2017, it reduced presidential terms to five years starting in 2024.