Rwandan President Paul Kagame has announced his intention to run for a fourth term in the upcoming presidential elections set for August 2024.
He told the French-language magazine Jeune Afrique on Tuesday that he will serve as much as he could.
President Kagame, 65, expressed his gratitude for the confidence Rwandans have in him, stating, "I am happy with the confidence that the Rwandans have in me. I will always serve them, as much as I can." He acknowledged his candidacy and made it clear that he was ready to continue leading the country.
When questioned about how Western countries might perceive his decision to seek another term, Kagame responded, "I'm sorry for the West, but what the West thinks is not my problem."
This decision comes after constitutional amendments were made, allowing Kagame to serve a third term and potentially govern until 2034.
The former rebel leader has been the de facto leader of Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide.
Throughout his leadership, Kagame has consistently been reelected, winning over 90 percent of the vote in the 2003, 2010, and 2017 elections.
