By Alexander Maclean, Year 11
Paul Kagame is a Rwandan politician and former military officer who has been the President of Rwanda since 2000. He was previously a commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a rebel armed force which invaded Rwanda in 1990. Although Rwanda is a democratic country, Kagame shows totalitarian actions, including banning opposition parties, arresting or assassinating critics, and electoral fraud.
Under Kagame’s leadership, Rwanda has experienced rapid economic growth, major infrastructure development, and significant reductions in poverty ever since Kagame appointed Édouard Ngirente. Kigali, the capital, is now frequently cited as one of the cleanest and safest cities in Africa. Kagame’s government has also been praised for its focus on gender equality, with women holding a majority of seats in Rwanda’s parliament.
However, these achievements have been accompanied by growing concerns over human rights violations and authoritarian rule. The GDP of Rwanda may have grown by around 9% ever since the appointment of Ngirente, however, this was only accomplished by invading neighboring countries like Congo and Sudan for materials used in electronics to be sold to the highest buyers. In addition, critics argue that Kagame maintains power through repression, including the suppression of media freedom, the elimination of political dissent, and tight control over civil society. For example, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, criticized Kagame for his oppression of the media and how he deals with those who still speak within the country. As a result of this constructive criticism, Kagame ended up banning Roth from the country, with possible assassination if Roth ever attempts to enter. Prominent opposition figures have been jailed or exiled, and some critics have died under suspicious circumstances, both within Rwanda and abroad.
Kagame has won elections with over 90% of the vote. In a democratic election, this is practically impossible, leading to speculations that Kagame threatens those who may not vote for him with punishment of a fine, or maybe death. Constitutional changes in 2015 allowed him to potentially remain in power until 2034, raising further concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in the country. Kagame implemented this constitutional change as a way for him to stay in power longer.
Internationally, Kagame has cultivated strong relationships with Western donors and multinational institutions, which have often praised his government’s developmental achievements while overlooking its repressive tendencies. This dynamic has led to ongoing debates about the trade-offs between stability, development, and democracy in post-genocide Rwanda.
Despite the controversies, Kagame remains a dominant and polarizing figure in African politics. Supporters hail him as a visionary leader who brought peace and progress to a country devastated by genocide, while detractors view him as an autocrat who has used Rwanda’s painful past to justify an increasingly undemocratic regime. As Rwanda continues to modernize, the legacy of Paul Kagame will likely remain contested both within the country and across the international community.
