Am no longer interested in power, Paul Kagame speaks

Rwandan President H.E. Paul Kagame has restated to his Countrymen and supporters that he will retire come the end of his 3rd term as President of Rwanda. Kagame is the 4th and current President of Rwanda, having taken office in the year 2000 when his predecessor, Pasteur Bizimungu, resigned.

“My wish is that one day, a woman takes up this position that you gave me,” Kagame told delegates during the Nation Address at the 17th National Annual Dialogue last Thursday.

In Doha during the 2019 Doha Forum, he answered “most likely not” to a question on whether he will seek for a fourth term as president of Rwanda in 2024.

“I don’t know yet, but most likely no. When I say most likely, I mean I don’t want to lock myself into anything. I want to have some breathing space,” He said.

“But I think that given the way things are or have been in the past, it depends on two things. But I think I have made up my mind where I am concerned personally that it is not going to happen next time.”

He has previously made similar claims, notably in 2017 when he said he “can only accept” to run for a third term after being persuaded by the Rwandan people.

President Kagame also cited his desire to see a woman succeed him as Rwanda’s president when he retires.

Only two women have attempted to run for the top seat: Victoire Ingabire in 2010 and Diane Rwigara in 2017. However, their attempts were impermanent and unsuccessful as both were arrested shortly after announcing their bids to run for the top seat against Kagame.
Political specialists have argued that Rwanda has a class of women leaders who can contest in the Rwandan presidential race. The Cabinet is 52 per cent female and 68 per cent of parliament.
Having served as president since 2000, Kagame is applauded for uniting Rwanda after the deadly genocide and steering the country to a great economic growthline.