Rwandan President Kagame leads in early election results, heads for fourth term

Rwandan incumbent leader Paul Kagame is taking an early lead in the presidential election decided on Monday in a vote widely expected to give him a fourth term.

A win in the election will extend his near quarter century in charge of the East African country.

Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana are challenging him, but analysts and rights groups believe that President Kagame’s re-election is virtually assured, with his opponents facing an uphill battle.

President Kagame, who has consistently received over 93% of the vote in the past three elections, has earned international praises for his role in ending the 1994 genocide and fostering economic growth.

As Rwandans head to the polls, they are not only voting for president but also for members of the lower house of parliament, with provisional results expected by Saturday.

Nearly all of Rwanda’s 9 million registered voters cast their ballots, with a staggering 98% turnout, head of the National Electoral Commission, Oda Gasinzigwa.

As of 8:17 pm local time, President Kagame held a commanding lead, garnering 99.15% of the votes from 78.94% of the counted ballots.