KIGALI: Rwanda’s all-powerful President Paul Kagame is set to be sworn in for another five-year term on Sunday after winning an election last month with more than 99 percent of the vote.
A number of African leaders are expected to attend the inauguration at the 45,000-seater stadium in Kigali, where crowds began gathering from early morning.
The July 15 poll result was never in doubt for the iron-fisted Kagame, who has ruled the small African nation since genocide in 1994, as de facto leader and then president.
He won 99.18 percent of the votes cast to secure a fourth term in power, according to the National Electoral Commission.
Human rights activists said the 66-year-old’s landslide victory was a stark reminder of Rwanda’s lack of democracy.
Only two candidates were allowed to run against him out of eight contenders, with several prominent Kagame critics banned.
Democratic Green Party leader Frank Habineza came second with 0.5 percent of the vote against 0.32 percent for independent Philippe Mpayimana. The inauguration is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. (1300 GMT), according to state media.
