The 2017 Rwandan Presidential Election is scheduled to be held on Friday August 04,2017
A Referendum in 2015 approved constitutional amendments that allow incumbent President Paul Kagame to run for a third term in office in 2017, as well as shortening presidential terms from seven to five years, although the latter change would not come into effect until 2024
Paul Kagame has been the de-facto leader of Rwanda since, as a 36-year-old, his rebel army routed extremist Hutu forces who slaughtered an estimated 800,000 people – mainly minority Tutsis – and seized Kigali in 1994.
He was appointed president by lawmakers in 2000 before being elected in 2003 with 95% of votes and again in 2010 with 93% of votes.
Presidential Candidates
Incumbent Presient Paul Kagame announced that he would run for a third term in a televised address to mark the start of 2016, saying "You requested me to lead the country again after 2017. Given the importance and consideration you attach to this, I can only accept. But I don't think that what we need is an eternal leader."
In February 2017 Phillipe Mpayimana announced his candidacy as an independent candidate. A former journalist and author, he has lived outside Rwanda since 1994 and worked with humanitarian organisations
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda leader Frank Habineza also declared his candidacy.
Rwanda's Paul Kagame in Landslide Poll Win With Around 98% of Votes
Rwandan President Paul Kagame sailed to a third term in office with a tally hovering around a whopping 98% of votes, partial results showed on Friday.
There had been little doubt that the 59-year-old would return to the helm of the east African nation which he has ruled with an iron fist since the end of the 1994 genocide.
With 80% of results counted, Kagame had secured some 5.4 million votes, far more than the 50% plus one required for him to win re-election.
"We think that at this level... it will be the same result, no change after having counted 100% (of votes)," said national elections commission chairman Kalisa Mbanda. Full provisional results will come through later on Friday.
The commission estimates 97% of 6.9 million voters turned out to cast their ballots.
Of the results tallied, Kagame had 98.66% – a figure which could still shift slightly – while his two little-known rivals barely made a dent.
Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party – the only permitted critical opposition party – won 0.45% of votes and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana scored 0.72
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