Rwandan Court Bars Opposition Leader From Upcoming Election Polls

Election season is upon most countries not only in the United States but also in African countries. Rwandan opposition leader and prominent public figure Victoire Ingabire has been barred from the upcoming presidential elections in Rwanda this July.

The court refused Victoire from running for the presidential bid. In Rwanda, a person who has been In prison for more than six months cannot vie for presidency. Victoire said that she does not agree with the ruling but unfortunately has to appeal after two years.

Victoire returned from exile in the Netherlands back in 2010 to take part in the presidential bid. She was however prevented from running the presidential race, arrested and later sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The 55-year-old was pardoned in 2018 and later formed the Dalfa Umurunzi opposition party. Her arrest came due to allegations that she minimized the impact of the genocide that left hundreds of people dead.

President Kagame won with over 90% during the presidential elections in 2003, 2010 and 2017. If Rwanda makes any changes to the constitution, he might be president for the next ten years as well.

Paul Kagame has faced critics from many human rights groups but remains adamant that he has in the past fought fiercely for the human rights of Rwandese. Currently, Kagame only has one challenger for the elections, Frank Habineza.