A tragic incident occurred at an election rally for Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Sunday, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to dozens of others. The crush happened in the Bugesera district during a campaign event leading up to the presidential election scheduled for July 15, 2024. The rally was part of Kagame’s campaign for a fourth term in office, a tenure that began after he effectively took control of the country following the 1994 genocide and officially became president in 2000.

The exact cause of the crush is still under investigation, but large crowds and insufficient crowd control measures are often contributing factors in such events. Kagame’s rallies typically attract significant numbers of supporters, given his long-standing rule and the tight control he maintains over the political landscape in Rwanda. His main opponent in the upcoming election is Frank Habineza of the opposition Green Party.