By John Ikani
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has announced that a plan for succession is currently under discussion within the ruling party, signaling his intention to step down after 23 years in power.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, in Kigali, Kagame referred to his retirement as “inevitable”.
Kagame stated that his retirement was an issue that has to be discussed “sooner or later” and joked about joining journalism in his old age.
However, he emphasized that he was not interested in personally choosing his successor, but rather in creating an environment that would foster the emergence of capable leaders.
“We have been discussing this within our [ruling] party since 2010, but the circumstances, challenges, and history of Rwanda tend to dictate certain things,” he said, as reported by the BBC.
Kagame’s retirement has been an ongoing topic of discussion in Rwanda, and the recent election of the country’s first female vice-chairperson within the ruling party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), has brought the issue to the fore once again.
The president, who has been at the helm of the RPF-Inkotanyi since 1998, has previously hinted at the possibility of stepping down. In December 2022, he stated that he had no problem with becoming an “ordinary senior citizen”.
However, his retirement is not expected to happen immediately, as Kagame still retains a strong grip on power in Rwanda.
In 2015, a controversial constitutional referendum removed the two-term limit for presidents, allowing Kagame to run for a third term in office, which he won in the subsequent election.
Nevertheless, with his retirement plans now public, the political landscape in Rwanda is likely to shift as the ruling party prepares to select a new leader.
