'Coronation' in Rwanda as president gets 93% of vote

• Supporters of Rwandan president Paul Kagame celebrate during a victory rally in Kigali after early results gave him 93 per cent of the vote Picture: AFP/ Getty

Mr Kagame urged supporters to await the final tally, but said he did not expect the outcome to change and the apparent margin of his win came as little surprise.

In the last election in 2003, Mr Kagame notched up 95 per cent of the vote. A repeat performance was predicted, partly due to the economic growth and stability he has delivered but also because of a crackdown on rivals.

"It's really a coronation of Mr Kagame. I don't think we'd call it a genuine election," said Muzong Kodi, an Africa analyst at the Chatham House think-tank.

"It's not the manner in which the polling has been organised. The election results are decided months in advance of the polling by the way the opposition was treated, by the way dissent was clamped down on," he said.

The preliminary results from the National Electoral Commission, broadcast on a screen at an overnight victory rally in a Kigali stadium, showed that in 11 out of 30 districts Mr Kagame had garnered 1,610,422 out of 1,734,671 votes cast.

Supporters of Mr Kagame, who has been in control since his rebel army swept to power and ended the genocide of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994, hailed their hero as fireworks crowned the celebration at the stadium.

Surrounded by his family, Mr Kagame danced rigidly in front of a sea of euphoric, flag-waving supporters gathered at the Amahoro Stadium, where thousands of ethnic Tutsis sought refuge during the genocide.

"That 93 per cent was okay but not very good. I wanted 97 or 98 per cent," said Gady Mutanganganati, a 25-year-old technician. "For the next seven years I want him to build more roads and hospitals and give people free education to the end of their studies."

Mr Kagame has been president of Rwanda since 2000 and cruised to victory at the ballot box in 2003 - the first elections since the 1994 genocide.

Despite being poor in resources, Rwanda is a rising star in Africa for donors and investors and Mr Kagame has been feted as a visionary leader and African icon.

While most of Rwanda's neighbours and donors are expected to be satisfied with a Kagame victory, some analysts said the most dominant figure in post-genocide Rwanda would likely have to repair his image.

They said Rwanda could expect far more foreign direct investment if it improved its democratic accountability rather than becoming more autocratic.

"You have to wonder about the broader socio-political situation that produces a vote like this," said a Western diplomat, commenting on the seemingly certain landslide.

Critics will point to events in the last few months. Registration troubles prevented three outspoken parties fielding candidates. Two party chiefs were arrested on charges including stirring ethnic hatred and genocide ideology. Other opponents say they have been intimidated.

Two newspapers were suspended in April, a critical journalist was shot in June and a member of the Democratic Green Party was found nearly beheaded in July.