East African president gets inaugurated for fourth term after landslide triumph

(MENAFN) Paul Kagame, the long-serving President of Rwanda, has been inaugurated for a fourth term following a commanding victory in the recent election. Kagame, who has led Rwanda for three decades, received an overwhelming 99.18 percent of the vote in the July 15 election, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC). His two main challengers, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent Philippe Mpayimana, garnered minimal support, with just 0.5 percent and 0.32 percent of the vote respectively.

The inauguration ceremony, held in Kigali on Sunday, was attended by several prominent African leaders, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of Sudan and Kenyan President William Ruto. Kagame, who has been in power in various capacities since 1994, used his inauguration speech to urge other African nations to resist external pressures and ideological impositions from global powers. He emphasized the importance of African sovereignty and self-determination.

Kagame's presidency has been marked by significant economic development and political stability in Rwanda, though his tenure has also faced criticism over issues related to democratic freedoms and political opposition. In the recent election, the electoral authority excluded eight other candidates, including prominent critics, from the race, citing reasons such as prior criminal convictions and incomplete registration documents.

In his speech, Kagame acknowledged the ongoing challenges and the need for continued hard work, framing his new mandate as a continuation of Rwanda's progress. Having secured more than 90 percent of the vote in each election since becoming the official head of state in 2000, Kagame’s new term will extend his presidency by another five years, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s most enduring leaders.

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