Over a dozen African heads of state, leaders in Rwanda for Kagame's inauguration

Over a dozen African heads of state and leaders have arrived in Rwanda’s capital Kigali ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Paul Kagame scheduled for Friday.

Among the heads of state present are presidents Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, Brahim Ghali of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger.

President Touadera arriving at the airport. Several African heads of state will attend the inauguration ceremony at Amahoro Stadium pic.twitter.com/zLwn7gUqnJ

— The New Times (@NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh is the 3rd Head of State to arrive for the swearing in slated for Friday #Rwanda #Kagame pic.twitter.com/MYElnB5au1

— The New Times (@NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

The President of Niger just arrived at Kigali International Airport for the inauguration ceremony #Rwanda pic.twitter.com/chWxbf6NL6

— The New Times (@NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

Also in Kigali are presidents Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Macky Sall of Senegal, Sasou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo and Hage Gottfried Geingob of Namibia.

The latest head of state to arrive for the swearing in of President PaulKagame is Zambia's Edgar Lungu pic.twitter.com/QYZYwZZc2D

— The New Times (NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

President Macky Sall of Senegal has also arrived a day before the swearing in of President #Kagame pic.twitter.com/2n1ipmDO9a

— The New Times (@NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

President Sasou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo has also arrived at Kigali International Airport #KagameInauguration pic.twitter.com/JlheJINxiY

— The New Times (@NewTimesRwanda) August 17, 2017

The Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, Patrice Emery Trovoada is also representing his country for the swearing-in including the Vice-President of Ivory Coast, Daniel Kablan Duncan; and Acting Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women’s Affairs, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat also arrived in Kigali on Thursday with former Botswana President Festus Mogae and former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa.

The Speaker of Parliament of Equatorial Guinea, Gaudencio Mohaba Mesu also arrived early as well as the Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, Habib El Malki and the Speaker of Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo Aubin Minaku.

The dignitaries will witness the swearing-in of Paul Kagame on Friday at the Amahoro National Stadium for his third term of office.

Kagame won the August 4 presidential elections after garnering 98.7% of the votes against main opposition party leader Frank Habineza and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana who performed poorly in the polls.

The result was not different from what Kagame secured in the 2003 and 2010 polls after he became president in 2000 following the resignation of his predecessor Pasteur Bizimungu.

Paul Kagame will serve another seven-year term.

Click here for all the election news on our Africa Elections page