Rwanda - Head of Government

His Excellency Mr Paul Kagame is serving his second elected term in office as President of Rwanda following victory at the elections held in August 2010. He first took office in August 2003 after the country’s first-ever multi-party democratic elections held that month. In April 2000, Mr Kagame was appointed President of Rwanda by the Transitional National Assembly.

In 1990, Mr Kagame returned to Rwanda after living in exile with his family in Uganda since 1960. He led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in a four-year struggle to liberate the country from autocratic rule since independence. Mr Kagame also led the Rwandan Patriotic Army in defeating the genocidal government in July 1994.

Mr Kagame was appointed Vice-President and Minister for Defence in the Government of National Unity (GNU) on 19 July 1994. Four years later, he was elected as Chair of the RPF, a partner in the GNU.

Mr Kagame was born in October 1957 in the Southern Province of Rwanda.