Rwanda President Paul Kagame votes during presidential election

Rwanda's incumbent President, Paul Kagame, cast his ballot during the presidential election at the SOS Kinyinya polling centre in Kigali, Rwanda, on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Kagame, the presidential candidate for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), joined other Rwandans who turned up in large numbers back at home and in the diaspora to elect their next president.

The 66-year-old president is projected to win a fourth term and extend his 24-year stay in power. He faces competition from Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana.

Eight more candidates, according to Reuters, were barred from running in this year's election, with the electoral commission citing a range of reasons, including missing and incomplete registration documents.

In the last three elections, he garnered more than 93 per cent of the vote, primarily for his economic reforms and for helping end the 1994 genocide and creating stability in the East African country.

Nonetheless, Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza, hopes to mount fierce competition, buoyed up by the campaigns. 

Rwanda's incumbent President and presidential candidate for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) Paul Kagame walks after casting his ballot during the Presidential election at the SOS Kinyinya polling centre in Kigali, Rwanda July 15, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Jean Bizimana)

"We toured the entire country, and wherever we went, people welcomed us warmly. They gave us gifts and assured us they would vote for us. We have to maintain this momentum and not regress," he stated after voting. 

Independent candidate Mpayimana added, "We are confident. Each of us is confident, it's half and half." 

Kagame did not address the reporters at his polling station.

On Friday, Kagame held a rally in Gasabo, some twelve kilometres from the city of Kigali, as he looked forward to winning his fourth term in office.

He told the crowd, "I have come to say thank you in advance. May you keep focus on the important things and do not be distracted by the detractors."

Other than the presidential candidates, Rwandans stepped out to elect the president and 53 members of the lower House of Parliament. 27 other MPs will be chosen on Tuesday.

The electoral commission says that about nine million people registered to vote, with at least two million being first-time voters.

Counting began on Monday evening after polling stations were closed, and provisional results may be announced by Tuesday morning.