Presidential election in Rwanda 2010

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Paul Kagame, 2006

The 2010 presidential election in Rwanda took place on August 9, 2010. It was the second direct election of the Rwandan president since the end of the civil war in 1994. Incumbent Paul Kagame was confirmed in office with 93.1 percent of the vote and was elected for a further seven-year term. However, the presidential election took place to the exclusion of several opposition parties and was characterized by obvious electoral fraud, so that the official election result is of little significance.

Candidates

The incumbent incumbent since 2000, Paul Kagame, the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), was already considered a certain winner in the run-up to the presidential election. He had three opponents, who were seen as hopeless and alibi candidates of the government. All three had supported the ruling party RPF in the last election in 2003.

Apron

In the run-up to the elections, two major tabloid newspapers were banned, thirty media companies were temporarily excluded and critics of the incumbent were arrested. Several political murders took place. Among other things, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka , a politician from the Green Center, was murdered by strangers in July 2010. The then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an investigation into the case. The opposition had unsuccessfully called for the election to be postponed and most of its candidates were not allowed to vote. The Hutu Victoire Ingabire , of the Forces Démocratiques Unifiées party , was briefly arrested for “ denying genocide ”. The party itself and the Green Party were denied registration for the election. Human Rights Watch complained that the opposition had been silenced. Various human rights groups spoke of systematic intimidation of the opposition.

Course of the election

Voters could cast their votes from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The election went without any major incident. Although permitted by law, the opposition parties only sent observers to a few polling stations, while the RPF had election observers everywhere. In the east of the country, voters were forced to cast their votes. International election observers reported that at least eight of the districts they visited had 100 percent turnout, with all voters voting for Kagame. There have been reports of people being pressured to go to the polling station and vote openly.

African Union election observers reported that the election went smoothly.

Results

As expected, Paul Kagame was re-elected with an overwhelming majority. According to the national election commission, he received 93.08 percent of the votes cast. The outcome of the election has yet to be confirmed by the Rwandan Supreme Court.

The number of eligible voters was 5,178,492. With 5,049,302 voters, the official turnout was 97.51 percent.

candidate Political party votes cast Share of votes
Paul Kagame Front patriotique rwandais (RPF) 4,638,560 93.08%
Jean-Damascene Ntawukuriryayo Parti social-democrate (PSD) 256,488 5.15%
Prosper Higiro Parti libéral (PL) 68,235 1.37%
Alvera Mukabaramba Parti pour le progrès et la concorde (PPC) 20,107 0.40%

Reactions

The opposition reiterated its allegations that elections were not free. The head of the electoral commission said, however, that no reports of intimidation had been received. The international reactions to the election result were mixed. While a representative of the Commonwealth had noted a "lack of critical voices", the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , Catherine Ashton , said she was relieved by the peaceful outcome of the presidential election. At the same time, however, she urged progress in terms of fundamental freedoms and freedom of the media.

Kagame's victory was overshadowed two days after the election by a grenade attack in the Rwandan capital Kigali , in which at least seven people were injured.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b FAZ: Great election victory for Kagame
  2. ↑ a b c TAZ: You know who to choose!
  3. ↑ a b Frankfurter Rundschau: No alternative for Rwanda
  4. ↑ FAZ: From Peace Bringer to Authoritarian Ruler
  5. ↑ a b ORF: Presidential election in Rwanda started
  6. ↑ Frankfurter Rundschau: From rebel to tyrant
  7. ↑ TAZ: To vote makes me proud
  8. ↑ Election results of the national election commission of Rwanda  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on August 12, 2010).@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.comelena.gov.rw  
  9. ↑ Focus : Kagame wins presidential election with 93 percent , August 11, 2010.
  10. ↑ a b Die Welt : Rwanda's President Kagame rejects allegations by the opposition , August 12, 2010.
  11. ↑ a b Neue Zürcher Zeitung : Grenade attack by choice in Rwanda , August 12, 2010.