Former Chief Justice David Maraga praised Rwanda’s electoral system, describing it as “well-organized.”
“The electoral process was peaceful and orderly—one of the best I have witnessed,” said Maraga, who is leading the East African Community (EAC) Election Observation Mission. He noted the stark contrast to elections in other countries, which can be chaotic and noisy, even at polling stations.
“My team reported that there was no disorder or noise throughout the process,” he stated. “We will include these observations in our final report.”
However, a joint statement from the African Union (AU) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) recommended improvements for the National Electoral Commission (NEC). They urged the NEC to enhance training for polling staff regarding the role of observers and to make election-related information more accessible online in all official languages.
Additionally, the statement called for a review of volunteer assignments at polling stations to streamline the voting process.
In the recent elections, President Paul Kagame was re-elected for a fourth term in a landslide victory. Kenyan President William Ruto has already congratulated Kagame, expressing his support for the democratic choice of the Rwandan people.
“I extend my warmest congratulations on your re-election as President of Rwanda,” Ruto stated. He praised Kagame’s leadership and expressed a desire to continue collaboration on regional and Pan-African initiatives.
Kagame has been in power since 2000, consistently securing over 90% of the vote in elections, including a staggering 99% in 2017.
