List of Presidents of Rwanda

President of the
Republic of Rwanda

Flag of the President
Incumbent
Paul Kagame
since 24 March 2000
Residence Urugwiro, Kigali
Term length 7 years (renewable once)[1]
Inaugural holder Dominique Mbonyumutwa
Formation 28 January 1961
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The President of Rwanda is the head of state of the Republic of Rwanda. The current president is Paul Kagame, who has held the office since March 2000, after the resignation of his predecessor, Pasteur Bizimungu. Kagame subsequently won elections in 2003 and 2010, although human rights organisations have criticized these elections as being "marked by increasing political repression and a crackdown on free speech".

The president can be elected to two seven-year terms[1] and has broad powers including creating policy in conjunction with the Cabinet, exercising the prerogative of mercy, commanding the armed forces, negotiating and ratifying treaties, signing presidential orders, and declaring war or a state of emergency. The President is elected by popular vote every seven years, and appoints the Prime Minister and all other members of Cabinet.

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Affiliation Notes
Republic of Rwanda Part of Ruanda-Urundi
28 January 1961 to 26 October 1961 Dominique Mbonyumutwa, Provisional PresidentParmehutu
26 October 1961 to 1 July 1962 Grégoire Kayibanda, PresidentParmehutu
Republic of RwandaIndependence from Belgium
(République du Rwanda)
1 July 1962 to 5 July 1973 Grégoire Kayibanda, PresidentParmehutuDeposed in a coup d'état
5 July 1973 to 1 August 1973Juvénal Habyarimana, Chairman of the Committee for Peace and National UnityMil
1 August 1973 to 6 April 1994Juvénal Habyarimana, PresidentMil/MRNDAssassinated
8 April 1994 to 19 July 1994 Théodore Sindikubwabo, Interim PresidentMRNDFled the country at the end of the Rwandan Genocide
19 July 1994 to 23 March 2000 Pasteur Bizimungu, PresidentRPFResigned
24 March 2000 to PresentPaul Kagame, PresidentRPF

Affiliations

Latest election

 Summary of the 9 August 2010 Rwandan presidential election results
Candidates – Parties Votes %
Paul Kagame – Rwandan Patriotic Front 4,638,560 93.08
Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo – Social Democratic Party 256,488 5.15
Prosper Higiro – Liberal Party 68,235 1.37
Alvera Mukabaramba – Party for Progress and Concord 20,107 0.40
Total valid votes 4,983,390 100.0
Invalid/Blank votes
Total votes
Registered voters 5,178,492
Source: National Electoral Commission of Rwanda (PDF)

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Article 101". Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda. 2003. The President of the Republic is elected for a term of seven years renewable only once. Under no circumstances shall a person hold the office of President of the Republic for more than two terms.

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