Rwandans vote today as Kagame poised for third win

Rwanda’s 6.9 million registered voters will cast their ballots today in the country’s third presidential election since an estimated 800,000 people were killed in a genocide in the central African country 23 years ago. Over 44,000 Rwandans living outside the country voted yesterday at nearly 100 polling stations, according to the electoral commission for the […]

Rwanda’s 6.9 million registered voters will cast their ballots today in the country’s third presidential election since an estimated 800,000 people were killed in a genocide in the central African country 23 years ago.

Over 44,000 Rwandans living outside the country voted yesterday at nearly 100 polling stations, according to the electoral commission for the East African nation. 

Long-time leader Paul Kagame is widely expected to win.

The 59-year-old former rebel commander, who has been in power for 17 years, won polls in 2003 and 2010 with 93% and 95% of the votes cast, and is standing for a third seven-year term following a constitutional change that waived a previous two-term limit and was approved by 98% in a referendum.

Only two opposition candidates have been allowed to stand against him in today’s election, and neither is expected to make any significant impact.