KIGALI, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Preliminary results of votes count has showed that incumbent President of Rwanda Paul Kagame achieved an overwhelming win in Friday's presidential election, electoral authorities announced Saturday.
Preliminary results from the National Electoral Commission (NEC) show that Kagame won 98.66 percent of 80 percent of votes cast at national level.
His two rivals, independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana and Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda got 0.72 percent and 0.45 percent respectively, said the NEC, adding that 5.5 million voters out of 6.9 million cast their votes.
Kagame, who is seeking his third term, thanked his supporters when speaking at the headquarters of the ruling party Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). "It's quite clear that RPF is winning...I thank my supporters for voting RPF and me in power again," he said.
"It is clear Kagame will win by a landslide," Mpayimana said after NEC's announcement. "I am happy with the result and I am sure and hope that our future will be as dynamic as possible," he added.
This year's presidential election is the third of its kind since the end of the ex-genocidal regime in 1994.
Kagame, 59, has been president since 2000 when he was elected by ministers and members of parliament following the resignation of then President Pasteur Bizimungu.
He was re-elected in 2003 and 2010 by winning 95 percent and 93 percent of the total votes respectively.
Rwandans voted on the revised constitution in 2015 that allows Kagame to seek re-election after his second term expires in 2017.
The Central African country has been recovering since the genocide and has now been considered a model for developing countries, especially for African countries.
With Kagame entering his new seven-year term, the ruling party is expected to honor its campaign promises, mainly focusing on strengthening the economy, social welfare and good governance, among others.
