Rwandan President Paul Kagame has stated his intention to run for a fourth term in elections scheduled for next year.
“Yes, I am indeed a candidate,” Kagame, who has wielded significant influence in the country for decades, informed Jeune Afrique, a French-language news publication, during an online interview published on Tuesday. “I am pleased with the confidence that Rwandans have placed in me. I will always serve them, as long as I can,” the 65-year-old was quoted as saying.
In March, the Rwandan government made the decision to synchronise the dates for its parliamentary and presidential elections, both set to occur in August next year.
Kagame had not previously clarified his intentions, but he has overseen controversial constitutional changes that allowed him to extend his leadership into a third term.
As a former rebel chief, Kagame has functioned as the country’s de facto leader since the end of the 1994 genocide. He secured a third term victory in 2017, garnering nearly 99 percent of the vote.