Rwandans vote on allowing third Kagame presidential term Friday Dec 18,2015

Rwandans are voting in a referendum on a constitutional amendment to allow President Paul Kagame to seek a third term in office.

Most voters, some 6.4 million, are eligible to vote on Friday Dec 18,2015, but around 37,000 Rwandans living overseas were able to have their say on Thursday.

The change would allow President Paul Kagame to potentially remain in power until 2034.

Rwandans are expected to vote overwhelmingly in favour of changing the constitution.

President Paul Kagame is praised at home and abroad for bringing about development and economic growth, but his critics accuse him of heavy-handed rule and human rights abuses. 

Rwandans Vote in Favor of Lifting Term Limits

Rwandans have voted to lift term limits to allow President Paul Kagame extend his rule, the head of the country’s electoral commission cited partial results as showing.

More than 98% from 21 out of 30 districts, representing 70% of registered voters,voted to lift term limits for President Paul Kagame, Mbanda Kalisa said. Mr. Kagame’s supporters celebrated the announcement in the capital, Kigali.

President Paul Kagame(58) is ineligible to run in 2017 because the Rwandan constitution limits a president to two terms. But if Rwandans approve the referendum, Mr. Kagame would be able to run for an additional seven-year term and then two five-year terms, which means he could possibly stay in power until 2034.

Paul Kagame became president in 2000 after being Rwanda’s de facto leader since the end of the country’s genocide in 1994. He is credited with stabilizing the country and promoting economic growth after the mass killings, but critics say he is an authoritarian ruler who doesn’t tolerate opposition and he is accused of human rights abuses.

Rwanda’s political opposition has criticized the referendum as undemocratic and the U.S., a key Rwandan ally, has opposed Mr. Kagame’s bid to stay in power.