International election observers, in a collective statement, praised Rwanda for maintaining a peaceful electoral atmosphere and for efficiently managing the general elections held from July 14 to 16.
The observers represented various organizations, including the East African Community (EAC), the African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), and the International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF).
In a press conference held in Kigali on Wednesday, July 17, delegation leaders noted that after interacting with key stakeholders involved in the electoral process and observing campaigns, voting, vote counting, and tallying, they observed that “the electoral, political, and security environment in the Republic of Rwanda before, during, and immediately after the elections has been calm and peaceful.”
They also commended the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and other institutions responsible for managing the electoral process for diligently fulfilling their duties according to the electoral calendar.
David Maraga, former Chief Justice of Kenya and head of the EAC Election Observation Mission, stated that the electoral process was conducted in a serene and peaceful environment that allowed candidates to campaign freely.
Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca, former Prime Minister of Cape Verde and head of the joint AU-COMESA Election Observation Mission to Rwanda, commended the country for fully financing its elections, using cost-effective equipment, and setting up polling stations in locations like hospitals.
He highlighted that his team observed special attention given to persons with disabilities, elderly voters, and expectant or nursing mothers during the voting process.
Fonseca mentioned, “All visited polling stations had adequate security personnel who maintained professional and non-disruptive conduct.”
He also noted, “Although the time taken for each voter to cast their ballot was short, our mission observed that in some polling stations, the single volunteer assigned to each process was occasionally overwhelmed.”
Fonseca also praised the peaceful and organized culture surrounding elections and voting, describing them as ‘a patriotic duty,’ linking the process with national colors, culture, and music to promote tolerance and unity.
Leaders have congratulated President-elect Paul Kagame following his overwhelming victory in the July 14-15 elections, where he secured 99.15 percent of the vote according to preliminary results released by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
The NEC is scheduled to announce provisional results by July 20, with final results expected by July 27. Kagame remarked on Tuesday that his landslide victory reflects the trust Rwandans have placed in him, emphasizing that it has been earned over time.
The National Electoral Commission released partial results of the presidential elections late Tuesday, showing that Kagame, representing the RPF-Inkotanyi coalition, received 99.15% of the votes. Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana received 0.53% and 0.32% respectively.
These results, announced on Tuesday, were based on 79% of the votes counted from both domestic and diaspora voters. The election saw more than nine million Rwandans eligible to vote, with a reported voter turnout of 98%, according to the NEC.
