Paul Kagame

====Presidential election, 2017====
{{main|2017 Rwandan presidential election}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin and Paul Kagame (2018-06-13) 02.jpg|thumb|Kagame with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] in June 2018]]
In accordance with the constitutional change, a presidential election was held in August 2017.{{sfn|Burke|2017}} The highest-profile opposition figure for the 2017 election was local businesswoman [[Diane Rwigara]]. Although she acknowledged that "much has improved under Kagame", Rwigara was also critical of Kagame's government, saying that "people disappear, others get killed in unexplained circumstances and nobody speaks about this because of fear".{{sfn|Sauuna|2017}} Like Ingabire in 2010, Rwigara was barred from running in the election.{{sfn|Maclean|2018}} Kagame was endorsed as the RPF's candidate for the election in mid-June,<ref>{{Cite web |title=RPF-Inkotanyi nominates Kagame for President |last=Kwibuka |first=Eugène |work=[[The New Times (Rwanda)|The New Times]] |date=18 June 2017 |access-date=18 August 2021 |url= https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/214465}}</ref> and began his re-election campaign in mid-July with a rally in [[Ruhango]].{{sfn|Sevenzo|2017}}

After three weeks of campaigning, concluding with a large rally in [[Gasabo District]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photos & Video: I will be your shock absorber, Kagame says at final rally |last=Kwibuka |first=Eugène |work=[[The New Times (Rwanda)|The New Times]] |date=3 August 2017 |access-date=18 August 2021 |url= https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/217295}}</ref> the election went ahead between Kagame and two opposition candidates.<ref name="ktpr_Rwan">{{Cite web |title=Rwanda Election 2017 Results |work=KT Press |date=3 August 2017 |access-date=18 August 2021 |url= https://www.ktpress.rw/presidential-votes-2017-results/}}</ref> Kagame was re-elected for a third term with {{Percentage|9879|10000|1|%=&nbsp;per&nbsp;cent}} of the vote, his highest percentage to date. He was sworn in for another seven-year term on 18 August.{{sfn|Tumwebaze|2017}} As with his previous victories, independent monitors and human rights organisations cited irregularities and intimidation in the conduct of the election.{{sfn|Department of State (IV)|2018}} Cheeseman and Klaas said in their book that he had "not even bothered to try and manipulate the election in the clever ways" he had used in previous campaigns.{{sfn|Cheeseman|Klaas|2018|p=218}}