According to partial results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), President Paul Kagame is headed for a landslide victory in the presidential elections held on Sunday for Rwandans in the diaspora and on Monday July 15 for those in the country.
The results announced on Monday night indicated that Kagame was leading with over 99 per cent with over 77 per cent of the ballots tallied.
It is not a surprise. It was evident during the campaign rallies staged by the incumbent, who was running on the ticket of RPF-Inkotanyi, across the country and the sentiments expressed by Rwandans of all walks of life throughout these campaigns.
His record, right from the time he led the struggle that liberated the country and stopping the Genocide against the Tutsi to taking on the unenviable task of leading the country from the ruins it was in post genocide it was in in 1994 to a hopeful nation we have today.
He has been consistent and has always delivered on the promises made, despite the circumstances. For instance, when, through his political organisation, RPF-Inkotanyi, presented to Rwandans during the campaigns ahead of the 2017 elections, no body knew that the world would witness the Covid-19 pandemic that literary froze the global economy for at least two years and whose impact we still face today.
However, this was not an excuse for him not to deliver. He not only cushioned the citizens of Rwanda from devastating impact of the pandemic but also managed to significantly deliver on his electoral promises.
It is such pragmatism that was on the ballot and Rwandans made the right choice. They chose unity and sustained development.
However, while these are just partial results and we have to await the final result, it is important to reflecting on our role; both at an individual level and collective as a community, in helping the President to deliver on his mandate.
With the electoral season now behind us, the real work begins. This is a critical juncture of our country’s development journey and so let us collectively work in unity to achieve our aspirations.
The beauty of our democratic dispensation built on consensus, is that everyone – including the losers in elections – have an opportunity to contribute to the nation’s building.