Rwanda’s Elections: A Façade of Democracy, According to Expert Tim Longman
In an appearance on the BBC World Service, Timothy Longman, Professor of International Relations and Political Science and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies discussed Rwanda’s current presidential and parliamentary elections.
In discussing his assessment of Rwanda’s democratic process, Longman expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the elections, stating, “None of the elections have been free and fair.” He highlighted how President Paul Kagame has dominated every election since 2000, consistently securing over 90% of the vote.
Longman outlined several concerns about the electoral process in Rwanda:
- Voter intimidation leading to artificially high turnout
- Suppression of opposition candidates
- Media censorship and crackdowns on free press
- Human rights issues, including disappearances and arrests of government critics
In his analysis, Longman argues that despite Rwanda’s economic progress and stability, the country remains under authoritarian rule. He explains how the memory of the genocide has been politicized, with the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) using it to justify its continued grip on power.
Longman also discussed the challenges faced by opposition candidates, citing the assassination of the Democratic Green Party’s vice president in 2010 as an example of the risks involved in opposing Kagame’s rule.
The full interview with Prof. Longman can be listened to on the BBC World Service starting at approximately the 14-minute mark of the program.
Professor Timothy Longman‘s current research focuses on state-society relations in Africa, looking particularly at human rights, transitional justice, democratization, civil society, the politics of race and ethnicity, religion and politics, and women and politics. He has published two books based on his research in Rwanda: Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda (Cambridge University Press 2011), and Memory and Justice in Post-Genocide Rwanda (Cambridge University Press 2017). Read more about Professor Longman on his faculty profile.