Paul Kagame, (born October 1957), is a Rwandan military leader and politician, who, as leader of the Rwandan Patriot Front, defeated Hutu extremist forces to end the 1994 Rwandan..
Paul Kagame, (born October 1957), is a Rwandan military leader and politician, who, as leader of the Rwandan Patriot Front, defeated Hutu extremist forces to end the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In 2000 he became president of Rwanda.
Presidency:
During the 2003 presidential campaign, Kagame portrayed himself as a Rwandan rather than a Tutsi and attempted to downplay the existence of ethnic strife in the country.
Kagame won a landslide victory in the country’s first multiparty elections.
He was sworn into office on September 12, 2003, ending the nine-year transitional government. A major focus of his presidency was building national unity and the country’s economy.
Kagame has worked toward rebuilding Rwanda and has been lauded for making notable gains, such as fostering a consistently strong economy and having improved social conditions in Rwanda.
However, praise for the progress occurring under his administration continued to be tempered by criticism of its intolerance of political dissent and media freedom, as well as Rwanda’s alleged continued involvement in conflicts in neighbouring countries.
Still, he remains popular in many circles at home and abroad.