Elections in Rwanda: start of the electoral campaign

In Rwanda, the electoral campaign for the presidential and legislative polls on July 15 began this Saturday, June 22. President Paul Kagame, in power for 24 years, is in the running for a fourth term.

The Rwandan electoral campaign officially opened this Saturday, June 22, and will last three weeks. The outgoing president, Paul Kagame, who has led the country for 24 years, is a candidate for his own succession for a fourth term.

The campaign kicked off in Musanze, the main town in northern Rwanda, where Paul Kagame launched his electoral activities under the banner of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The presidential party plans almost daily meetings throughout this electoral period.

Two other candidates are also running in the presidential election. Frank Habineza, MP and founder of the Democratic Green Party, the only opposition political party in Rwanda, began his campaign in the capital, Kigali. Philippe Mpayimana, an employee of the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, chose to launch his campaign in Kirehe, in the far southeast of the country.

The electoral poster for this election is similar to that of 2017, with a notable novelty: for the first time, the presidential campaign is being held simultaneously with the legislative elections. Nearly 600 candidates are competing for the 80 parliamentary seats in the Rwandan Parliament.