At 66, Kagame faces off against the only two contenders authorized to run, as other candidates were barred by the state-run electoral commission. He has been a central figure in Rwandan politics since his rebel forces took power at the end of the 1994 genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Kagame has been widely praised for overseeing Rwanda's dramatic revival and unification. Dr. Felix Ndahinda, a scholar on the Great Lakes region, told the BBC, "Rwanda was 30 years ago essentially written off, but thanks to the leadership under Kagame and his ruling party, Rwanda managed to build some stability."

However, critics accuse Kagame of suppressing opposition, including orchestrating cross-border assassinations of dissidents. Despite these allegations, Kagame has staunchly defended Rwanda's human rights record, asserting that the country respects political freedoms. Nevertheless, one analyst described the election as a mere "formality."

According to the electoral body, about nine million people are registered to vote, with at least two million being first-time voters. A provisional winner is expected to be announced by Tuesday morning. Voters will elect the president and 53 members of the lower House of Parliament on Monday, with 27 other MPs being elected the following day.