Rwanda's head of state, Paul Kagame, has been re-elected with 99.18% of the vote, according to preliminary data provided by the National Electoral Commission on Thursday.
"The 2024 Rwandan General Election was held without a single incident of violence, a remarkable milestone in the country’s transformation. The conduct of the election gave the people of Rwanda an opportunity to choose their leaders in a free and fair manner," the East African Community wrote on X.
Voter turnout was 98.20% among approximately nine million registered voters.
The two other candidates, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent Philippe Mpayimana, received 0.5% and 0.32% of the vote, respectively.
The ruling political party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, is so far getting 37 seats in parliament. It is followed by the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party, with each of them taking five seats.
The final election results are expected to be announced by July 27.
Earlier this week, Kagame thanked his fellow Rwandans for their support, saying that the results that showed an exceptionally high score aren't just mere numbers as they represent people's trust, and that's what truly matters.
Kagame, who previously received over 93% of the vote in the past three elections, has been commended by Western and regional leaders for his efforts to end the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. He has transformed the country into a promising destination for investment and aid.
However, he has faced criticism due to allegations of support for M23 rebels in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the United Nations, there are now 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan troops in the eastern DRC who are supporting the rebels in their fight against the Congolese government forces. Kagame has consistently denied these charges.