Presidential elections were held in Rwanda on 25 August 2003.[1] They were the first direct presidential elections since the Rwandan Civil War and the first multi-party presidential elections in the country's history. Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) was elected to a seven-year term with 95% of the vote.[2]
The results were disputed by Faustin Twagiramungu, the main opposition candidate, who argued that "People were controlled, people were forced to vote. It’s not possible that we in the opposition got only 3.7% of the vote. There is something wrong."[3] The elections were widely condemned as fraudulent by outside observers; according to the scholar Timothy Longman, "the Rwandan population experienced the elections not as a transition to democracy but as a series of forced mobilizations that ultimately helped to consolidate RPF rule."[4] The international reactions were nevertheless muted, which, according to Filip Reyntjens, "reinforced the RPF in its conviction that things would blow over, which they did." In Reyntjens' view, "after failing Rwanda in 1994, the international community did so again in 2003 by allowing a dictatorship to take hold."[5]
Backgroundedit
Prior to the elections a campaign was launched by the RPF to ban the Democratic Republican Movement (MDR), which was charged with "divisionism". This move was criticized by Human Rights Watch, which stated "If the MDR is dissolved, conditions for the elections will change even more dramatically. As the only party outside of the RPF with any substantial support, the MDR would be the only one able to seriously contest at least the legislative if not the presidential elections."[6] The MDR was banned, and Faustin Twagiramungu was forced to run as an independent.[7]
^Presidential election of 25 August 2003 Adam Carr
^"Faustin Twagiramungu To Challenge Rwandan Election Results". Voice of America. 26 August 2003.
^Longman, Timothy (2017). Memory and Justice in Post-Genocide Rwanda. Cambridge University Press. pp. 164f. ISBN9781107678095.
^Reyntjens, Filip (2013). Political Governance in Post-Genocide Rwanda. Cambridge University Press. p. 42f. ISBN9781107043558.
^"Preparing for Elections: Tightening Control in the Name of Unity, Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. May 2003.
^"Kagame won, a little too well". The Economist. Kigali. 28 August 2003.
October 29, 2023
2003, rwandan, presidential, election, presidential, elections, were, held, rwanda, august, 2003, they, were, first, direct, presidential, elections, since, rwandan, civil, first, multi, party, presidential, elections, country, history, paul, kagame, rwandan, . Presidential elections were held in Rwanda on 25 August 2003 1 They were the first direct presidential elections since the Rwandan Civil War and the first multi party presidential elections in the country s history Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front RPF was elected to a seven year term with 95 of the vote 2 2003 Rwandan presidential election 2000 25 August 2003 2010 Nominee Paul Kagame Faustin TwagiramunguParty RPF IndependentPopular vote 3 544 777 134 865Percentage 95 05 3 62 President before electionPaul KagameRPF Elected President Paul KagameRPFThe results were disputed by Faustin Twagiramungu the main opposition candidate who argued that People were controlled people were forced to vote It s not possible that we in the opposition got only 3 7 of the vote There is something wrong 3 The elections were widely condemned as fraudulent by outside observers according to the scholar Timothy Longman the Rwandan population experienced the elections not as a transition to democracy but as a series of forced mobilizations that ultimately helped to consolidate RPF rule 4 The international reactions were nevertheless muted which according to Filip Reyntjens reinforced the RPF in its conviction that things would blow over which they did In Reyntjens view after failing Rwanda in 1994 the international community did so again in 2003 by allowing a dictatorship to take hold 5 Background editPrior to the elections a campaign was launched by the RPF to ban the Democratic Republican Movement MDR which was charged with divisionism This move was criticized by Human Rights Watch which stated If the MDR is dissolved conditions for the elections will change even more dramatically As the only party outside of the RPF with any substantial support the MDR would be the only one able to seriously contest at least the legislative if not the presidential elections 6 The MDR was banned and Faustin Twagiramungu was forced to run as an independent 7 Results editCandidatePartyVotes Paul KagameRwandan Patriotic Front3 544 77795 05Faustin TwagiramunguIndependent134 8653 62Jean Nepomuscene NayinziraIndependent49 6341 33Total3 729 276100 00Valid votes3 729 27697 82Invalid blank votes83 2912 18Total votes3 812 567100 00Registered voters turnout3 948 74996 55Source African Elections DatabaseReferences edit Elections in Rwanda African Elections Database Presidential election of 25 August 2003 Adam Carr Faustin Twagiramungu To Challenge Rwandan Election Results Voice of America 26 August 2003 Longman Timothy 2017 Memory and Justice in Post Genocide Rwanda Cambridge University Press pp 164f ISBN 9781107678095 Reyntjens Filip 2013 Political Governance in Post Genocide Rwanda Cambridge University Press p 42f ISBN 9781107043558 Preparing for Elections Tightening Control in the Name of Unity Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper PDF Human Rights Watch May 2003 Kagame won a little too well The Economist Kigali 28 August 2003 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2003 Rwandan presidential election amp oldid 1162260057, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
