Rwandans are set to vote on Monday, July 15th, 2024, in an election where President Paul Kagame is widely expected to secure a fourth term in office.
Kagame first rose to prominence as the leader of the rebel forces that took control of Rwanda’s government, putting an end to the genocide in 1994. He served as the country’s vice president and de facto leader from 1994 until 2000, when he officially became president. Since then, he has been credited with rebuilding Rwanda’s economy and establishing stability following the genocide. However, his tenure has also been marked by accusations of stifling political opposition and suppressing media freedom.
In addition to domestic criticisms, Kagame’s administration faces international scrutiny. A United Nations report has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel militia, which is active in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hassan Kannenje, director of the Horn Institute of Strategic Studies, discussed the complex choices facing post-conflict Rwanda. “One, between peace and justice. And two, between development and democracy. And it seems that Rwanda chose peace instead of justice and is choosing development over democracy,” he explained. He emphasized that these choices are not inherently contradictory but are shaped by the realities of the African continent and other post-conflict societies.
Kagame is running virtually unopposed in this election, facing the same two opponents he defeated in 2017, when he garnered nearly 99 percent of the vote. Although eight candidates initially applied to run, only two were included on the final list validated by the electoral commission. The others, including some of Kagame’s most vocal critics, were disqualified for various reasons, such as prior criminal convictions.
Kannenje commented on Rwanda’s democratic landscape, noting that it has never been a democracy in the traditional sense. “It was a personal rule, characterized by successive autocratic regimes, including the last regime of Juvenal Habyarimana. It was far from being a democracy,” he said. Therefore, he argues, it is an overstatement to accuse Kagame of failing to meet democratic standards expected by Rwandans.
However, Kannenje acknowledged that Rwandans may not enjoy the same civil and political freedoms as citizens of other countries, such as Kenya. “But that is also attributable to the different histories. When it comes to the history of civic activism, in Kenya it is much higher compared to civic activism not just in Rwanda but actually much of central Africa,” he explained.
Approximately nine million Rwandans are registered to vote on Monday, with the presidential election being held concurrently with legislative elections for the first time. Provisional results are expected by July 20.
