More than 9 million Rwandans are casting their ballots Monday for presidential election.
According National Election Commission (NEC), the voting began at 7:00AM local time, and would conclude at 3:00PM.
Monday’s presidential election is expected to extend the long rule of President Paul Kagame, who has held power since 1994, for additional 5 years.
Coming to power after the genocide, Kagame has been condemned by many as a violent authoritarian while praised by others for presiding over impressive growth.
Many predict Kagame will win the election for he faces only two challengers after courts banned his most prominent critics.
The only two rivals approved to run against Kagame out of eight applicants are Frank Habineza, leader of Rwanda’s Democratic Green Party, and independent Philippe Mpayimana.
Prominent opposition figures Bernard Ntaganda and Victoire Ingabire were barred by Rwandan courts, while the National Electoral Commission barred high-profile Kagame critic, Diane Rwigara, now for the second time.
Amnesty International recently reported that Rwanda’s opposition leaders face severe challenges from the government.
“The political opposition continue to face severe restrictions to their right to freedom of association, as well as threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution on trumped-up charges, killings and enforced disappearances. Independent civil society and the media also face many attacks, intimidation, harassment and reprisals for their work. This all has a chilling effect and limits the space for debate for people in Rwanda,” the rights group reported last week.