President Paul Kagame will on Sunday, August 11, be sworn in for a five-year term, after registering a landslide victory during the July 14-15 poll, securing more than 99 percent of votes cast. The oath is part of the ceremony that officially marks the start of a new term for the President. ALSO READ: What follows the announcement of presidential election results? The swearing-in ceremony is in line with the Rwandan Constitution – Article 102 – which stipulates that the president-elect takes oath of office within 30 days following his or her election. The much-anticipated inauguration ceremony is expected to draw 45,000 people inside the new-face Amahoro Stadium, with millions more following live TV broadcasts around the country, as well as the Diaspora community which will follow through livestream. Doors at Amahoro Stadium are expected to be opened in the wee hours of Sunday, at around 6:00 am, to allow for the arrival of people from all parts of the country. The City of Kigali issued an open invitation as part of efforts to accommodate Rwandans and friends of Rwanda at the event. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, is expected to welcome Rwandans and friends of Rwanda including Heads of State and representatives of countries and international organizations who will be in attendance to witness the ceremony. Under the current constitutional provisions, Chief Justice Faustin Nteziryayo is expected to administer the Presidential Oath. Once the President has been sworn in, he will give an inaugural address. Following the administration of the oath, President Kagame is expected to receive the symbolic instruments of power from the Chief Justice. The instruments of power include a copy of the constitution, the national flag and the coat of arms. At the event, President Kagame will also receive a shield and sword which are symbols of national defence, from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Chief of Defence Staff General Mubarakh Muganga, as the final signal that he has started the five-year term as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Kagame will go on to inspect a guard of honour which is expected to be preceded by the national anthem. The inauguration ceremony comes nearly three weeks after Kagame was elected into office, beating, by a large margin, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philipe Mpayimana, an independent candidate. Habineza secured 0.5 per cent while Mpayimana got 0.32 per cent, among the more than 8.9 million Rwandans who cast their ballots, in a 98 per cent turnout, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC). After taking oath, it will be the first time President Kagame will serve a five-year term, following the revision of the Rwandan constitution in 2017. The new provisions eliminate the seven-year term and permit presidents to serve two five-year terms.
