Rwandan President Paul Kagame has officially commenced his fourth term in office after securing a sweeping victory in last month's election, receiving over 99 percent of the vote. The inauguration ceremony took place on Sunday at a packed 45,000-seat stadium in Kigali, attended by several dozen heads of state and dignitaries from African nations.

Taking the oath of office before Chief Justice Faustin Ntezilyayo, Kagame pledged to "preserve peace and national sovereignty, consolidate national unity." Kagame's victory in the July 15 poll was expected, as he has held leadership in Rwanda since the aftermath of the devastating 1994 genocide. According to the National Electoral Commission, Kagame received 99.18 percent of the ballots cast, ensuring another five years in power.

Critics and rights activists have voiced concerns over the lack of democratic processes in Rwanda, with only two candidates authorized to run against Kagame out of a total of eight applicants. Notably, several prominent Kagame critics were barred from participating in the election. Frank Habineza, the leader of the Democratic Green Party, secured second place with 0.5 percent of the votes, while independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana received 0.32 percent.

Kagame is widely credited with rebuilding Rwanda following the genocide in which approximately 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis but also Hutu moderates, lost their lives during 100 days of targeted attacks by the Hutu majority. However, opponents and human rights activists claim that Kagame's leadership is characterized by a climate of fear, with dissent being crushed through intimidation, arbitrary detentions, killings, and disappearances.

The Rwandan government has also faced allegations of fomenting instability in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Angolan President Joao Lourenco, present at Kagame's inauguration, was slated to hold private discussions with Kagame regarding a ceasefire in the DRC. Angola played a key role in brokering the ceasefire agreement, following accusations that Rwanda supports the M23 rebel group in the eastern region of the DRC.

Despite the controversy surrounding Kagame's rule, he remains the only leader most Rwandans have ever known, with 65 percent of the population under the age of 30. A significant number of Rwandans turned out to witness the historic inauguration, expressing their support for Kagame's transformative leadership. Tania Iriza, a 27-year-old trader, expressed her pride in casting her vote for President Kagame and hailed his ability to guide Rwanda towards prosperity, unity, and innovation.

Kagame has enjoyed a track record of electoral success, winning every presidential election he has contested with over 93 percent of the vote. In 2015, he oversaw constitutional amendments that shortened the presidential terms to five years from seven, effectively allowing him to potentially rule until 2034.