Rwanda's President Paul Kagame speaks during an interview with international media at the presidency office in Kigali, on May 28, 2021. (Photo by Simon Wohlfahrt / AFP)
Nairobi: Rwandan President Paul Kagame has said for the first time that he plans to run for a fourth term in elections due to be held next year.
"Yes, I am indeed a candidate," Kagame, who has ruled over the country with an iron fist for decades, told Jeune Afrique, a French-language news magazine, in an interview published online on Tuesday.
"I am pleased with the confidence that Rwandans have placed in me. I will always serve them, as long as I can," the 65-year-old was quoted as saying.
The Rwandan government in March decided to synchronise the dates for its parliamentary and presidential elections, which are due to be held in August next year.
Kagame had previously not made his intentions clear, but presided over controversial constitutional amendments in 2015 that allowed him to run for more terms and stay in power until 2034.
The country was ranked 131 out of 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
Asked in 2022 if he would seek re-election, Kagame said he would "consider running for another 20 years".
"Elections are about people choosing," he told the France 24 news channel in an interview.
