Paul Kagame facts for kids

"Kagame" redirects here. For other uses, see Kagame (surname).

Quick facts for kids Paul Kagame
Kagame in 2024

4th President of Rwanda
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 April 2000
Prime Minister	Bernard Makuza Pierre Habumuremyi Anastase Murekezi Édouard Ngirente
Preceded by	Pasteur Bizimungu
16th Commonwealth Chair-in-Office
In office 24 June 2022 – 25 October 2024
Preceded by	Boris Johnson
Succeeded by	Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
16th Chairperson of the African Union
In office 28 January 2018 – 10 February 2019
Preceded by	Alpha Condé
Succeeded by	Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Vice President of Rwanda
In office 19 July 1994 – 22 April 2000
President	Pasteur Bizimungu
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Minister of Defence
In office 19 July 1994 – 22 April 2000
President	Pasteur Bizimungu
Preceded by	Augustin Bizimana
Succeeded by	Emmanuel Habyarimana

Personal details
Born	(1957-10-23) 23 October 1957 (age 67) Tambwe, Gitarama Province, Ruanda-Urundi (now Nyarutovu, Rwanda)
Political party	Rwandan Patriotic Front
Spouse	Jeannette Nyiramongi (m. 1989)
Children	4
Alma mater	Command and General Staff College
Military service
Allegiance	National Resistance Army (1979–1990) Rwandan Patriotic Front (since 1990) Rwanda (since 1994)
Years of service	1979–2000
Battles/wars	Ugandan Bush War War in Uganda (1986–1994) Rwandan Civil War
a. ^ Acting: 24 March – 22 April 2000

Paul Kagame (pronounced kə-GAH-may; born 23 October 1957) is a Rwandan politician. He is a former military officer. He has been the President of Rwanda since 2000.

Early Life and Background
Career and Leadership
- Presidency and National Development
  - Economy of Rwanda
  - Education and Health Improvements
Personal Life
Honours
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Background

Paul Kagame was born on 23 October 1957. He was the youngest of six children. His birthplace was Tambwe, in what was then Ruanda-Urundi. This area is now part of the Southern Province of Rwanda. His father, Deogratias Rutagambwa, belonged to the Tutsi ethnic group. The Tutsi had been the traditional ruling class in Rwanda.

At the time of Kagame's birth, Rwanda was a United Nations Trust Territory. It was managed by Belgium. The Belgians had promoted Tutsi leadership. The majority group, the Hutu, were mostly farmers. A third group, the Twa, were forest dwellers. They made up less than 1% of the population.

Tensions grew between the Tutsi and Hutu groups in the 1950s. This led to the 1959 Rwandan Revolution. Hutu activists began to harm Tutsi people. More than 100,000 Tutsis had to leave Rwanda. They sought safety in nearby countries. Kagame's family left their home. They lived in northeastern Rwanda for two years. Then they crossed into Uganda. They settled in the Nshungerezi refugee camp in 1962. Here, Kagame first met Fred Rwigyema. Rwigyema would later lead the Rwandan Patriotic Front.

Kagame started school near the refugee camp. He learned English and adapted to Ugandan culture. At age nine, he moved to Rwengoro Primary School. He later attended Ntare School, a top school in Uganda. Yoweri Museveni, a future Ugandan President, also went there. Kagame's grades dropped after his father died. He also became more likely to fight those who disrespected Rwandans. He finished his studies at Old Kampala Secondary School.

After school, Kagame visited Rwanda twice. He went in 1977 and 1978. He stayed with family members of old classmates. He also met his own relatives in Kigali. He kept a low profile to avoid arrest. He was a well-known Tutsi exile. These visits helped him understand Rwanda better. He also made useful connections for his future work.

Career and Leadership

In the 1980s, Kagame joined Yoweri Museveni's rebel army in Uganda. He became a high-ranking officer. Museveni later became the Ugandan president. Kagame then joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). He took charge of the group when its leader, Fred Rwigyema, died. This was during the 1990 invasion. By 1993, the RPF controlled much of Rwanda. A ceasefire was agreed upon.

The death of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana then started the genocide. Kagame restarted the civil war. His military victory ended the genocide. During his time as Vice President, Kagame led the national army. He helped keep the government strong. Other officials worked on rebuilding the country.

Presidency and National Development

In the late 1990s, Kagame began planning for Rwanda's future. He started a national discussion. He also got advice from experts in countries like China and Singapore. After becoming president, Kagame launched Vision 2020. This was a big plan for national development. Its main goals were to unite Rwandans. It also aimed to change Rwanda from a poor country into a middle income country. The plan had many goals to reach by 2020. These included rebuilding, improving roads, and good governance. It also focused on better farming, private business, health, and education.

In 2011, a report showed how Vision 2020 was doing. Out of 44 goals, 66% were on track. 11% were on watch, and 22% were off track. Areas like population, poverty, and the environment needed more work. By 2012, 26% of the goals were already met. The target for GDP per person was even raised. An independent review called the progress "quite encouraging." It noted improvements in education and health. It also praised Kagame for making Rwanda a good place for business.

After Vision 2020 ended in 2020, Kagame announced Vision 2050. He said Vision 2020 was about survival and dignity. Vision 2050 is about the future Rwanda chooses. It aims for Rwanda to be an upper-middle income country by 2035. It also aims for Rwanda to be a high-income country by 2050. This plan focuses on economic growth and a high quality of life for Rwandans.

Economy of Rwanda

Kigali, Rwanda's capital, has seen growth under Kagame.

Rwanda's economy has grown fast under Kagame. The money earned per person has increased a lot. Between 2000 and 2020, it grew about 7.2% each year. Kagame's economic plan focuses on making the economy more open. It aims to reduce rules for businesses. It also wants to change Rwanda from a farming country to a knowledge-based economy. Kagame hopes Rwanda can grow like Singapore did.

Many foreign donors and investors have praised Rwanda's economy. This includes Bill Clinton and Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz. Rwanda is also known for its good government and low corruption.

Rwanda's economy has also benefited from minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 1999, about 6.1% of Rwanda's GDP came from these resources. In 2013, foreign aid made up over 20% of Rwanda's economy. It covered almost half of the government's budget. Economic growth has mostly helped richer people in the capital city. Rural areas have not seen as much benefit. The government officially supports private businesses. However, it has increased state control through companies linked to the government.

Rwanda has few natural resources. Its economy relies heavily on subsistence agriculture. About 75% of workers are farmers. Under Kagame, the service sector has grown a lot. It makes up about half of the country's GDP. It is the second largest employer after farming. Key services include banking, trade, hotels, and transport. Information and communications technology (ICT) is a top goal for Vision 2020. The government wants Rwanda to be an ICT hub for Africa. It has built a large fibre-optic network. This helps with internet services and online business. Tourism is also growing fast. It became the top earner of foreign money in 2011.

Rwanda ranks high in the World Bank's ease of doing business index. In 2005, Rwanda was ranked 158th. Kagame then created a special team to improve business. As a result, Rwanda was a top reformer in 2009. In 2012, Rwanda was 52nd globally for ease of doing business. It was third in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was eighth for ease of starting a business. The Rwanda Development Board says a business can be registered in 24 hours. The country also has low corruption. In 2010, Transparency International ranked Rwanda as the eighth cleanest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Education and Health Improvements

Kagame's government has made education a top priority. About 17% of the yearly budget goes to education. The Rwandan government offers free education for twelve years. This includes six years of primary school and six years of secondary school. The last three years of free education started in 2012. This was a promise Kagame made in his 2010 election campaign. Kagame's government has also improved higher education. The number of universities grew from 1 in 1994 to 29 in 2010. More students are now going to university. From 1994 to 2009, secondary education was in French or English. Since 2009, English is the main language in public schools. This is because of Rwanda's growing ties with the East African Community and the Commonwealth of Nations. In 2009, 71% of people aged 15 or over could read and write. This was up from 58% in 1991.

Rwanda faces challenges with common diseases. These include malaria, pneumonia, and HIV/AIDS. The number of cases and deaths has dropped a lot. But there are still not enough medicines. Kagame's government wants to fix this. It is a Vision 2020 priority. Funding for health has increased. The health budget went from 3.2% of national spending in 1996 to 9.7% in 2008. New training schools were set up, like the Kigali Health Institute. In 2008, laws made health insurance required for everyone. By 2010, over 90% of people had health insurance. These changes have improved healthcare quality. Key health numbers have also gotten better. In 2010, 91 children died before age five for every 1000 births. This was down from 163 deaths in 1990. Some diseases are declining. For example, maternal and newborn tetanus has been eliminated. Malaria cases and deaths have also sharply decreased. In 2011, Rwanda started a big project to train medical staff.

Kagame has been praised for Rwanda's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with a less developed healthcare system, Rwanda has low infection and death rates. It is seen as a success story. Rwanda is the only African nation whose citizens can enter the Schengen Area for non-essential travel. However, some have criticized the limits on civil liberties during the pandemic. By April 2022, Rwanda was one of the few African countries to have vaccinated over 60% of its people against COVID-19.

Personal Life

Jeannette Kagame, Paul Kagame's wife

Paul Kagame married Jeannette Nyiramongi on 10 June 1989 in Uganda. She was a Tutsi exile living in Nairobi, Kenya. Kagame had asked his family to suggest a wife. They recommended Nyiramongi. Kagame went to Nairobi and met her. He convinced her to visit him in Uganda. Nyiramongi knew about the RPF and its goal to help refugees return to Rwanda. She thought highly of Kagame. The couple has four children.

Kagame's daughter, Ange Kagame Ndengeyingoma, studied abroad. She was not often seen in public when she was younger. This was for safety and privacy reasons. She went to Dana Hall School in the United States. She also attended Smith College, studying political science. She has a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University. Kagame can speak three languages: English, Kinyarwanda, and French.

Kagame is Catholic.

Honours

Benin:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Benin (2010)
Burkina Faso:
- Grand Cross of the Ordre de l'Étalon [fr], formerly National Order of Burkina Faso (2019)
Central African Republic:
- Grand Cross of the Order of Reconnaissance of Central African (2019)
Guinea:
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2016)
Guinea-Bissau:
- Recipient of the Medal of Amílcar Cabral (20 June 2024)
Ivory Coast
- Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (2018)
Morocco:
- Collar of the Order of Muhammad (2016)
Liberia:
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Pioneers of Liberia (2009)
Serbia:
- Second Class of the Order of the Republic of Serbia (2016)
Uganda:
- Most Excellent Order of the Pearl of Africa: Grand Master (2012)
La Francophonie:
- Grand Cross of the Order of La Pléiade (2022)

Images for kids

Kagame served under Yoweri Museveni (pictured) in the Ugandan Bush War.
The Virunga Mountains, Kagame's RPF base from 1990 to 1991
Vice President Kagame with United States Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, July 1994
A refugee camp in Zaire, 1994
Belligerents of the Second Congo War
Kagame in 2010
Kagame with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2018
Anti-government rebels from the March 23 (M23) Movement, widely considered to have been supported by Rwanda, during their capture of the provincial capital at Goma in North Kivu in November 2012.
Kagame, DRC president Félix Tshisekedi and other African leaders at the Russia–Africa Summit in Sochi on 24 October 2019
Kagame with the other four East African Community Heads of States in April 2009
Kagame with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on 7 April 2024
Paul Kagame with United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in September 2009
Kagame with US President Joe Biden at the United States–Africa Leaders Summit in 2022
Kagame visited the 2014 ITU Plenipotentiary conference in Busan, South Korea.
Protests against Kagame during his May 2006 visit to the White House. The banner in the center says the United States should "stop supporting the genocide in [the] DR Congo".