The ruling party of Rwand has formally nominated President Paul Kagame as its flagbearer for the upcoming July election, setting the stage for a fourth consecutive seven-year term.
Kagame, 66, won the presidential polls in 2003, 2010, and 2017, each time with more than 90 percent of the vote.
Kagame won unopposed during the Rwandan Patriotic Front congress, which concluded on Saturday, as confirmed by the party.
Kagame’s main challenger at the July polls is expected to be opposition Green Party leader Frank Habineza, who received 0.45 percent of the vote in the 2017 election, coming third in spite of claims of irregularities and intimidation of voters.
Another likely opposition contender, Victoire Ingabire, leader of the unregistered Dalfa Umurunzi movement, faces obstacles due to a previous conviction, with a court decision regarding her eligibility for the presidential race scheduled for March 13.
Rwanda will hold presidential and parliamentary polls on July 15, following the government’s decision to regularise voting dates last year.
Also on July 16, electoral colleges and committees will select 24 women MPs, 2 youth representatives, and a representative for disabled Rwandans.
According to the election calendar, campaigns open from June 22 to July 12.
Many laud Rwanda as one of Africa’s most stable nations, critics accuse Kagame of repression of dissents and curtailing civil liberties.