Kagame Poised for Another Term as Rwanda Votes Amid Controversy

Rwandans voted on Monday in a presidential election likely to extend President Paul Kagame's rule. Kagame, 66, has been in power since 1994 and faced limited opposition. The election saw high voter turnout but raised concerns about human rights and Kagame's authoritarian governance.

Rwandans headed to the polls Monday in an election widely expected to extend President Paul Kagame's long-standing rule. The 66-year-old authoritarian leader has held power since 1994, following the end of the country's genocide.

Running virtually unopposed, provisional results were anticipated later that evening. Kagame faced the same opponents as in 2017, when he secured nearly 99 percent of the vote. His challengers, Democratic Green Party's Frank Habineza and independent Philippe Mpayimana, struggled to gain traction during the campaign period.

Despite high voter turnout, the international community has raised alarms over Rwanda's human rights record. Amnesty International has cited concerns about arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and suppression of dissent, while Kagame defends his mandate as a reflection of the people's will.

(With inputs from agencies.)