On Monday, July 15, 2024, President Paul Kagame was re-elected for a fourth term in power that will see him lead the East African nation of Rwanda for over 30 years.

Kagame, who won the election with 99% of votes, said trust built over the years with citizens is responsible for his victory.

“This election process, the campaign we conducted first, the voting, and the results that have just been released mean something significant in a person’s life; it symbolises trust, for which I thank you,” Kagame said.

“Trust is not easy to come by; there is nothing you can give someone to gain their immediate trust. Trust is built over time.

“With this trust and all these years we have spent together solving many difficult challenges, was there ever a time when you saw me at a loss for solutions?

“I am never defeated by challenges. Even in the difficult situations we have gone through or will go through in the future, trust is the reason for it all.

“Trust makes me confident that together, there is no challenge we will not surmount.”

After leading rebel forces to end the genocide of 1994, Kagame served as vice president for six years before becoming president in 2000.

Since he assumed presidency, Kagame has put Rwanda on the path to national development but critics have questioned his human rights record and accused him of suppressing opposition.

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Critics say he has created an atmosphere that means he is not challenged, negating the principles of democracy.

One thing is certain, Kagame has been at the fore of Rwanda’s national development, the power is left to citizens to decide if he has overstayed in power.