Rwanda: Kagame re-elected as head of the ruling party

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has been overwhelmingly re-elected the chairman of the ruling party, Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) at the party’s 16th congress which convened on Sunday.

The Rwandan leader got 2, 999 votes, accounting for 99.8% of the total votes while his closest contender Abdulkarim Harelimana got 3 votes or 0.2% according to a Rwandan national daily. The outcome delighted the party's supporters.

"I'm very satisfied with the elections, how it went, the results. Especially the re-election of the President of the Republic and President of the RPF, Paul Kagame, who was re-elected by a very large majority of 99.8 percent. " Olivier Mugabonake, member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front

Kagame, Rwanda's president for 22 years will now serve another five years as head of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, the political party he has led since 1998.

Alice Urusaro Karekezi, member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front even wants him to run for president again.

"It's true that it's the work of all Rwandans who have accompanied him in this. But it's true that the particular character of his leadership has a lot to do with this success. As far as I am concerned, if he runs for a re-election (to the presidency, ed), yes without hesitation." Karekez said after the announcement of the result.

The 2,000 supporters present at the congress in Kigali voted Sunday on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the ruling party since the end of the genocide.