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Rwanda Election: President Kagame Wins 3rd Term by Landslide

Rwanda Election: President Kagame Wins 3rd Term by Landslide
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The electoral commission in Rwanda has announced that President Paul Kagame has won a third term in office with a landslide.

Rwanda Election: President Kagame Wins 3rd Term by Landslide

The commission said partial results of Friday's election had given him 98% of the votes.

Kagame's supporters began celebrating before the announcement saying that he had brought stability and economic development after the horrors of the 1994 genocide.

But his critics - most of whom are outside the country - said he had ruled through fear.

Kagame addressed jubilant supporters at party headquarters and urged Rwandans, including those who hadn't supported him, to work together.

"The victory belongs to Rwandans who put trust in me," he said. "I promise to build on the achievements so far registered and transform the country."

Kagame, who has been in power for 17 years, was challenged by Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana.

He came to power in 1994, when his group took control of the capital, Kigali, ending the genocide in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.

Rwanda's constitution was amended in 2015, giving Kagame a chance to stay in power until 2034.

The two challengers have complained that their supporters are being intimidated, which they say explains the low turnout at their pre-election rallies.

The candidates had also accused some local authorities of undermining their campaign.

The ruling party denies any accusations of wrongdoing.

The 59-year-old president had been praised for the country's economic growth, but human rights groups accuse his government of using state powers to silence any opposition. Rwandan authorities, including the president, deny it.

In Rwanda's tidy capital, Kigali, there had been little hint of the coming vote. Candidates had been barred from putting campaign posters in most public places, including schools and hospitals. The electoral commission vetted candidates' campaign messages, warning that their social media accounts could be blocked otherwise.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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