KIGALI - The Chairman of Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) and Head of State, President Paul Kagame, yesterday, emerged the winner in the Presidential primaries for his party in Kigali City.

Kagame who was represented by the president of the Private Sector Federation (PSF), Robert Bayigamba, stood against Senator Jose Kagabo.

In an interview with The New Times, the Kigali city mayor, Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira who is the Chairperson of RPF in Kigali city said that out of the 380 voters, 374 voted for President Kagame.

"This practically indicates that President Kagame will be the party’s flag bearer for Kigali City,” she said. 

"It’s such a pleasure for us that we made the right choice. The elections were peaceful and exciting.”

Winners from provincial and Kigali City levels will compete at the national level come May 15.

The elections where officiated by Local Government Minister, James Musoni who is also a commissioner in RPF.  "Voting Kagame is a way of paving a progressive path to a brighter future.” Musoni said.

Senator Kagabo acknowledged defeat and welcomed the results. "I lost in a transparent way,” Kagabo said.
Meanwhile, Kagame has also emerged the winner of RPF party primaries in the four provinces.

In the Eastern Province, Kagame won with an overwhelming majority. All the 321 RPF representatives from the Eastern Province’s 7 districts, who gathered in Rwamagana, voted in his favour.

In the Western Province, Kagame got an overwhelming majority of 371 votes of the 377 which were cast, representing 98.4% while his closest rival, Education Minister, Dr Charles Murigande, received 1.1%.

In the Southern Province all the 544 delegates who attended the meeting endorsed Kagame as the party’s flag bearer.

In a voting system where voters were allowed to vote for a maximum of two candidates, Charles Murigande emerged second best after polling 95 votes equivalent to 17.4 percent of the total votes cast.

He will, together with Kagame represent the Province during the May 15 national party elections to determine the party’s flag-bearer in the August 9 Presidential polls.

Northern Province also unanimously voted Kagame as their party candidate for the Presidency, sweeping all 325 votes of the provincial electorate.

The party primaries are part of the process to select a candidate to represent the party in the forthcoming Presidential elections slated for August this year.

Ends