On August 4, President Paul Kagame won election to serve a third consecutive seven-year term as president of Rwanda, a small African country with a population of 12 million. President Kagame first served as president in 2000 when his predecessor, Pasteur Bizimungu, resigned. Some consider him to be among the longest serving world leaders based on his initial service as Rwanda’s Vice President and Minister of Defence.
Long-time presidencies are often associated with authoritarian regimes, repression of opposition, and single-party domination, among other democracy-weakening themes. Paul Kagame is not an exception. The international community has loudly criticized the president for silencing opposition and running a one-party state while simultaneously praising the sustainable economic growth and social development Rwanda has experienced under Kagame. Comparing performance among key development measures during the 12-year presidency of Juvénal Habyarimana (his second and the third terms) and the first 14-years of President Paul Kagame, progress across several spheres, including personal welfare, health, economic growth, education, and safety, is evident.
Explore today’s visualizations to learn more about these and other economic and socio-demographic trends.