Rwanda's Paul Kagame: A controversial, polarizing strongman

Many in Rwanda have known no leader other than Paul Kagame since the end of the 1994 genocide.

He led the Uganda-based Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which defeated the authorities who orchestrated the mass killing of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. 

In the wake of the genocide and civil war, Pasteur Bizimungu became president, with Kagame as both vice president and defense minister.  

In 2000, Kagame took over as president. In 2024, he won over 99.1% of the vote and extended his grip on power in Rwanda by five more years. 

His reelection comes as no surprise. Rwanda has no real official opposition.

Years ago, the now 66-year-old leader had set the stage to lead the country until 2034 by scrapping presidential term limits.

Do Rwandans want to keep Kagame?

At one point, Kagame signaled he would quit, but shortly before the July 15 vote, he defended his hold on power. 

"At a personal level, I can comfortably go home and rest," Kagame said. "The ruling party and Rwandans have been asking me to stand for another mandate."

Kigali resident Rachid Bugirimfura supports him, "Kagame had a lot right from stopping the genocide, fostered the unity of all Rwandans because many had written off the country after the genocide."

Journalist Charles Ndushabandi does as well: "He has achieved a lot if you are to see where he found the country and where the country is in terms of security. Infrastructure-wise, the roads are done."

"There is security which some of the people don't realize. It's a big achievement people can walk late in the night. He has achieved so much in security," Ndushabandi added..

Putting Rwanda on the global scene

Some Rwandans believe that there would be no modern Rwanda without Kagame. 

"He made Rwanda be known on the international map, which was not the case before. Internationally, Rwanda was known for her ugly past but this has changed," Marie Louise Uwizeyimana, a Kigali resident, told DW.

According to the World Bank, Rwanda's economy has remained resilient and adaptable despite internal and external challenges.

Rwanda achieved 7.6% growth in the first three quarters of 2023. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected to soar between 2024 and 2026.

Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told DW that Rwanda under Kagame is better off than it has ever been.

"We have been mostly successful in the most important things we want to get done, which means, security and safety for Rwandans, bring back home refugees, uniting Rwandans, justice and progress in delivery to Rwandans," Makolo said.

Poverty under a 'benevolent dictator'

But not everyone is impressed with Kagame's much-lauded modern Rwanda.

"I agree that in Kigali, we have beautiful buildings, clinics and streets," Victoire Ingabire, a prominent opposition figure, told DW. "But development is not that — development is educating young people.

"Outside Kigali, we don't have roads," Ingabire added. "We need roads, we need electricity, we need water, we need hospitals. There are so many things that we have to achieve."

In a recent assessment of Rwanda, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that 56.5% of the population lives on less than $1.90 (€1.75) a day.

Poverty reduction has "stagnated" since 2014, with the reach of Rwanda's social protection program "considerably below the level of need," FCDO said, adding that there were "higher levels of malnutrition, lower levels of human capital development, lower levels of resilience at individual and system level." 

Kagame is seen by many as a "benevolent dictator" who concentrates on the image of the country.

"When it comes to gender equality, there was a lot of effort to promote gender equity and empower women, which was not the case before," said Marie Louise Uwizeyimana, the Kigali resident. "This allows fair competition between men and women."

Analysts said there is no room for competition against Kagame himself. He has been accused of killing dissent and making it hard for anyone to challenge his authority.

Paul Kagame: A leader with enemies

"Political space in Rwanda remains closed," Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote in its country report for 2023. "Opposition parties face administrative obstacles to registration and political pressure to toe the government line."

HRW also noted that over a dozen opposition politicians are imprisoned. In many cases, "they are being prosecuted or have been convicted on spurious grounds."

Victoire Ingabire is among those who have run foul of Kagame. "If you criticize the institution in Rwanda, the government, of course, you are labeled as the enemy of the country — like me," she told DW. "I spent eight years in prison only because I had criticized policies of the government." 

Ingabire said she does not see democracy deepening under Kagame. "They have to understand that we need also democracy in our country to have sustainable development. We need to have leaders who are accountable before the citizens," Ingabire said.

But government officials say there is nothing untoward about Kagame's leadership.

"We do not assassinate people. We are a country of rule of law. We are a country that values lives. That is the biggest lesson that we have learnt from the genocide. Our job is to take care of Rwandans — people are free to say whatever they want,"  government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told DW. 

Trouble with the neighbors

Some citizens appear unafraid to say Kagame needs to do better.

"What we demand from him is building human capacity so that the people can be able to put their skills to good use and improve their economic situation," the Kigali resident Bugirimfura told DW. "It's not enough to say that the country is developing without people having money in their pockets."

Relations between Rwanda and some of its neighbors have been tense during Kagame's time in power. The Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Kagame of supporting the M23 rebels fighting the Congolese government. Kagame has denied involvement.

"He has to improve our diplomatic relations with our neighbors in order to make it easy for cross-border trade," Uwizeyimana said. "For example inflation is high so with good relations with the region, it can make trade better."

Edited by: Benita van Eyssen