Rwanda's Kagame re-elected with 99.18 percent of vote

The 66-year-old Paul Kagame, who has ruled the small African nation as de facto leader then president for three decades and who will extend his rule by another five years -- won by an even bigger margin than in the last presidential ballot seven years ago, when he secured 98.79 percent, Report informs referring to AFP.

Democratic Green Party leader Frank Habineza garnered just 0.5 percent and independent Philippe Mpayimana 0.32 percent, according to the National Electoral Commission.

The men, who had also challenged Kagame in 2017, were the only two candidates approved to run this year after several opposition figures were barred.

Kagame is credited with rebuilding a shattered nation after the 1994 genocide, but is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear, and of fomenting instability in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.