Paul Kagame, the incumbent President of Rwanda, has sealed a massive victory in his country’s presidential election that granted him a third term in office.

The victory means Kagame will now be extending his reign to 17 years.

59-year-old Kagame has won international plaudits for presiding over a peaceful and rapid economic recovery in the Central African nation since the 1994 genocide, when an estimated 800,000 people Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.

It was gathered that he has also faced mounting censure for what critics and rights groups say are widespread human rights abuses, a muzzling of independent media and suppression of political opposition.

With 80% of votes already accounted for, the former guerrilla leader secured 98.66 percent, the National Electoral Commission’s Executive secretary, Charles Munyaneza disclosed to a news conference. Munyaneza said; “We expect that even if we get 100 percent of votes, there will not be any change.”