Rwanda’s Paul Kagame sworn in for third term, in face of election doubts
Kigali — Rwandan President Paul Kagame was sworn in for a third term on Friday, after a crushing election win that rights groups criticised over irregularities and voter intimidation. Nineteen African heads of state were present at the ceremony, which took place in front of a packed crowd in the national stadium in Kigali, entertained by a military parade and drummers. The 59-year-old Kagame, re-elected with nearly 99% of the vote, took a swipe at critics who regularly highlight repression and lack of freedoms in the tiny east African nation. "Every African country has to contend with efforts to force us to live on someone else’s terms," he said. "They demand we replace systems that are working well for us with dogmas in which their own people are rapidly losing faith." Among those attending the ceremony was Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide crimes committed against humanity. Rwanda is not a signatory to the ICC and is ...
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