With Rwanda’s GDP growing by 7.6 per cent in the first three quarters of 2023, and with the nation ranking as the second-best location in Africa to do business in, along with a sharp rise in the human development index, the country’s future looks optimistic

This July 18, Rwanda celebrates its 30th anniversary of liberation. It was on 18 July 1994 that the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) declared a unilateral ceasefire, marking the end of the genocide. This was followed by the formation of the National Unity Government. And this July 2024, Paul Kagame is also set to win another election, extending his 24-year rule by another five years.

However, there was no surprise in his attaining over 99 per cent of the vote. As a matter of fact, it’s a mirror replica of the 2017 national election, where Kagame beat the same set of opponents, environmentalist Frank Habineza and ex-journalist and government adviser Philippe Mpayimana, with a similar margin. Even the disqualification of several opposition candidates, including Diane Rwigara, his staunch and outspoken critic, follows the pattern of 2017, i.e., incomplete registration documents.

Rwanda witnessed arguably the worst genocide of modern times when Hutu extremists slaughtered about 800,000 Rwandans, mainly Tutsis, over 100 days in 1994. After the end of the 1994 genocide, when he was chosen as vice president and defence minister, Kagame was only 36 years old. Since then, Kagame has been the de-facto leader of Rwanda. In 2000, he was elected President; since then, he has never lost an election and has remained President.

Rwanda witnessed arguably the worst genocide of modern times when Hutu extremists slaughtered about 800,000 Rwandans, mainly Tutsis, over 100 days in 1994.

In 2015, his government brought in a new constitutional amendment allowing him to run again for another seven-year term in 2017. According to this amendment, he will be eligible to contest another election in 2029 and can stay in power until 2034. Ironically, with more than half of the population under 30, most Rwandans have never known any other leader other than Kagame. While the final results are expected to be announced on July 27, it is clear that 66-year-old Kagame is set to return to a fourth term in office. Therefore, it is important to explore the implications of his next term for the nation and beyond.

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