22 Presidents expected in Kigali for Kagame’s swearing-in

Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 22 Heads of State, four Vice-Presidents, and two Prime Ministers are in Kigali to attend President Paul Kagame’s swearing-in ceremony at Amahoro Stadium, today Sunday, August 11.

According to the Rwanda Times, leaders expected include William Ruto of Kenya and Uganda’s Vice-president Jessica Alupo who will represent President Yoweri Museveni.

In attendance will also be one Deputy Prime Minister, two Speakers of Parliament, and five Heads of international and regional organisations, according to Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Kagame will be sworn in for a five-year term, after registering a landslide victory during the July 14-15 polls when he secured more than 99 percent of votes cast.

The oath-taking ceremony comes nearly three weeks after Kagame was re-elected into office, beating, by a large margin, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Philipe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.

Leaders who arrived in Kigali on Saturday for the inauguration include the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is also the Chairperson of the East African Community, Gen. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the President of Guinea Bissau, and Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe.

The President of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema, Ivory Coast Vice President, Tiemoko Meyliet Koné, São Tomé and Príncipe Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada and Gen Mamadi Doumbouya, the President of Guinea, and the Prime Minister of Senegal, Ousmane Sonko, also arrived on Saturday.

I have this evening safely arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, for the presidential inauguration ceremony of H.E. Paul Kagame, President-elect of Rwanda. I was officially received at Katuna border by the Minister of Environment of Rwanda and the Ambassador of Uganda to Rwanda.

1/2 pic.twitter.com/VJYfL4IQsD

— Vice President Jessica Alupo (@jessica_alupo) August 10, 2024

Doors at Amahoro Stadium opened in the wee hours today, at around 6:00 am, to allow for the arrival of people from all parts of the country. The City of Kigali issued an open invitation as part of efforts to accommodate Rwandans and friends of Rwanda at the event.

Under the current constitutional provisions, Chief Justice Faustin Nteziryayo is expected to administer the Presidential Oath.

Following the administration of the oath, President Kagame is expected to give an inaugural address and receive the symbolic instruments of power from the Chief Justice. The instruments of power include a copy of the constitution, the national flag, and the coat of arms.

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SOURCE: RWANDA TIMES