Paul Kagame

====Presidential election, 2003====
{{main|2003 Rwandan presidential election}}
The first post-genocide election was held in August 2003, following the adoption of the new constitution.{{sfn|BBC News (VIII)|2003}} In May, the parliament voted to ban the [[Republican Democratic Movement]] (MDR), following a parliamentary commission report accusing the MDR of "divisive" ideology.{{sfn|IRIN (II)|2003}} The MDR had been one of the coalition parties in the transitional government of national unity, and was the second-largest party in the country after the RPF.{{sfn|BBC News (IX)|2003}} [[Amnesty International]] criticised this move, claiming that "the unfounded allegations against the individuals mentioned in the report appear to be part of a government-orchestrated crackdown on the political opposition".{{sfn|Amnesty International (I)|2003}} Kagame was the RPF candidate, while former prime minister Twagiramungu was his main challenger. Twagiramungu had intended to run as the candidate for the MDR, but instead sought the presidency as an independent following the party's banishment.{{sfn|IRIN (III)|2003}} He returned to the country from Europe in June 2003 and began campaigning in August.{{sfn|IRIN (III)|2003}}{{sfn|BBC News (X)|2003}}

Kagame declared victory in the election one day after the poll,{{sfn|Beaver County Times|2003}} and his win was later confirmed by the National Electoral Commission.{{sfn|Nunley}} The final results showed that Kagame received {{Percentage|951|1000|1|%=&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent}} of the vote, Twagiramungu {{Percentage|36|1000|1|%=&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent}}, and the third candidate, Jean Nepomuscene Nayinzira, {{Percentage|13|1000|1|%=&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent}}; the voter turnout was {{Percentage|966|1000|1|%=&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent}}.{{sfn|Nunley}} The campaign, election day, and aftermath were largely peaceful, although an observer from the [[European Union]] (EU) raised concerns about intimidation of opposition supporters by the RPF.{{sfn|Reuters (I)|2003}} Twagiramungu rejected the result of the election and also questioned the margin of victory, saying "Almost 100 per cent? That's not possible".{{sfn|Reuters (I)|2003}} He filed a petition at the Supreme Court to nullify the result, but was unsuccessful and he left Rwanda shortly afterwards, fearing that he would be arrested.{{sfn|IRIN (IV)|2003}}{{sfn|Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada|2006}} The EU observer also questioned the result, citing "numerous irregularities", but also describing the poll as a "positive step" in the country's history.{{sfn|CPJ|2004}}