The Social Democratic Party (PSD) announced on Sunday, March 24, that it will endorse incumbent President Paul Kagame, who will be the flagbearer of the RPF-Inkotanyi in the July presidential elections.
On March 9, Kagame was voted by the RPF National Congress as its candidate for the 2024 elections.
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"We have decided to endorse His Excellency Paul Kagame as a candidate for president due to the achievements recorded during the time he has led the country,” PSD president Vincent Biruta told the media on Sunday, after chairing the party’s National Congress.
"We appreciate that many of the ideas that were in our last manifesto were implemented, thanks to good collaboration between our different political parties and that President Kagame considers ideas from other political parties.
We recognise his undoubted capacity; he is loved by Rwandans and it is obvious that he is willing to serve the country and cares for all Rwandans.”
Biruta said that no PSD member had expressed interest in running for president, hence the unanimous decision to endorse Kagame.
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PSD becomes the second party to announce its endorsement for Kagame’s candidacy formally, after the Ideal Democratic Party (PDI). PDI, which cited its 2003 commitment to endorse Kagame whenever he contests for president, announced its decision in September 2023.
Kagame, 66, became president in 2000 in an interim position and was first elected into the office in 2003. His third seven-year term, which began in 2017 after claiming a landslide victory of more than 98 per cent of votes, ends in 2024.
Candidates will be vying for a five-year term after amendments to the constitution
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Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for July 14-16, according to the calendar released by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
NEC will start receiving candidacies for the presidency and members of parliament from May 17-30.
The campaign period will begin on June 22 and close on July 13 before voting gets underway from July 14 to 16.
The provisional results of the elections will be announced on July 20, while the final results will be announced on July 27.