Rwanda: Kagame endorsed as candidate by seven political parties

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Rwanda: Kagame endorsed as candidate by seven political parties

Loveworld / 54 mins

April 5, 2024

1 min read

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has received endorsements from two of the oldest political parties in the East African nation, the Liberal Party (PL) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), for the upcoming presidential race in July.
The PL and PSD officially endorsed Kagame, who represents the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), during announcements made on Sunday. This endorsement adds to the support of four smaller political parties already in coalition with the RPF.
Vincent Biruta, the PSD president and Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, highlighted the importance of Kagame’s openness to considering ideas from various political parties. Both the PL and PSD have historically had leaders who served in different government positions and have been allied with the ruling party.
At 66 years old, Kagame has been in power in Rwanda for several decades, having won presidential elections in 2003, 2010, and 2017 with over 90 percent of the vote. However, critics and human rights organizations accuse his administration of maintaining a climate of fear that suppresses dissent and restricts freedom of speech.
Rwanda is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on July 15