By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Paul Kagame has been inaugurated for his fourth term as Rwanda's president after securing 99% of the vote in last month's election. While Kagame is praised by some for maintaining peace and stability in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide, others criticize him for leading a repressive regime where citizens fear openly criticizing him. Human rights organizations argue that his overwhelming victory margin reflects a lack of true democracy in the country.
In the July 15 election, only two candidates were permitted to run against Kagame, who has consistently won over 93% of the vote in all four of his presidential elections. The swearing in ceremony took place at Kigali's Amahoro National Stadium, which holds 45,000 people, with several African heads of state in attendance. During his oath, Kagame pledged to maintain peace, protect national sovereignty, and uphold national unity. He also vowed never to misuse his presidential powers for personal gain, stating that he would accept legal consequences if he failed to keep his promise.
Kagame has been the dominant figure in Rwandan politics since his rebel forces took control at the end of the 1994 genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Since then, Rwanda has enjoyed relative stability, with Kagame aiming to transform the country into the "Singapore of Africa." Kigali, the capital, is noted for being one of Africa's cleanest cities and has hosted significant events like the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2022, as well as international performances, including a concert by Kendrick Lamar.
Kagame frequently criticizes Western nations, yet he has also sought to build international alliances, such as the now canceled agreement with the UK to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Despite improvements in living conditions in Rwanda, Kagame is accused of destabilizing the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Just before the July election, a UN report claimed that around 4,000 Rwandan troops were in the DRC, allegedly supporting the M23 rebel group, which has led to tensions between the two countries. Rwanda has previously invaded the DRC twice, citing the need to pursue Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide.
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi was notably absent from Kagame's inauguration, and in his speech, Kagame seemed to criticize Tshisekedi for not doing enough to combat Rwandan rebels based in the DRC. Kagame implied that without a change in approach, mediation efforts would be ineffective, signaling that he is unlikely to yield to pressure to cease support for the M23 rebels.
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