View source for List of presidents of Rwanda

{{Short description|None}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                     = President
| body                     = the Republic of Rwanda
| native_name              = {{nativename|rw|Perezida wa Repubulika y’u Rwanda}}<br>{{nativename|sw|Rais wa Jamhuri ya Rwanda}}<br>{{nativename|fr|Président de la République du Rwanda}}
| insignia                 = 
| insigniasize             = 
| insigniacaption          = 
| flag                     = Flag of the President of Rwanda.svg
| flagsize                 = 125
| flagborder               = yes
| flagcaption              = Presidential Standard
| image                    = Paul Kagame 2014.jpg
| imagesize                = 200px
| alt                      = Paul Kagame in 2014
| imagecaption             =
| incumbent                = [[Paul Kagame]]
| acting                   = 
| incumbentsince           = 22 April 2000 <br> Acting: 24 March – 22 April 2000
| department               = 
| style                    = [[Mr. President (title)|Mr President]]<br />{{small|(informal)}}<br />[[Excellency|His Excellency]]<br />{{small|(diplomatic)}}
| type                     = [[Head of state]]<br />[[Executive president]]
| status                   = 
| abbreviation             = 
| member_of                = 
| reports_to               = 
| residence                = [[Village Urugwiro]]
| seat                     = [[Kigali]]
| nominator                = 
| appointer                = [[Direct election|Popular vote]]
| appointer_qualified      = 
| termlength               = Five years,
| termlength_qualified     = renewable
| constituting_instrument  = [[Constitution of Rwanda]] (2003)
| precursor                = 
| formation                = {{start date and age|df=y|1961|1|28}}
| first                    = [[Dominique Mbonyumutwa]]
| last                     = 
| abolished                = 
| succession               = 
| unofficial_names         = 
| deputy                   = 
| salary                   = US$85,000 annually<ref name="africaranking.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.africaranking.com/highest-paid-african-presidents/|title=Top 15 Highest Paid African Presidents 2017|date=15 December 2016|access-date=8 February 2020|archive-date=22 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143225/http://www.africaranking.com/highest-paid-african-presidents/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| website                  = [https://www.gov.rw/president Official Website]
}}
{{Politics of Rwanda}}

This article lists the [[President (government title)|president]]s of [[Rwanda]] since the creation of the office in 1961 (during the [[Rwandan Revolution]]), to the present day.

The president of Rwanda is the [[head of state]] and [[Executive president|head of executive]]{{sfn|CJCR|2003|loc=article 117}} of the Republic of Rwanda. The president is elected every seven years by [[Direct election|popular vote]],{{sfn|CJCR|2003|loc=articles 100–101}} and appoints the [[Prime Minister of Rwanda|prime minister]] and all other members of [[Council of Ministers of Rwanda|Cabinet]].{{sfn|CJCR|2003|loc=article 116}}

A total of four people have served in the office. The incumbent president is [[Paul Kagame]], who took office on 22 April 2000, after being acting president for nearly a month.

==Term limits==
There was a two-term limit for the president in the [[Constitution of Rwanda]]. [[2015 Rwandan constitutional referendum|The constitutional referendum in 2015]] allowed [[Paul Kagame]] third seven-year term, and ability to run for further two five-year terms thereafter.<ref name="termlimits">{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Candace |last2=Siegle |first2=Joseph |title=Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa |url=https://africacenter.org/spotlight/circumvention-of-term-limits-weakens-governance-in-africa/ |website=Africa Center for Strategic Studies}}</ref> 

==List of officeholders==
;Political parties
{{legend|{{party color|Parmehutu}}|[[Parmehutu|Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement]] (Parmehutu)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{party color|National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development}}|[[National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development]] (MRND)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{party color|Rwandan Patriotic Front}}|[[Rwandan Patriotic Front]] (RPF)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

;Status
{{legend|#E6E6AA|text={{Double dagger|alt=Indicates a temporary assignment}}|Denotes [[Acting (law)|acting]] president|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+List of presidents of Rwanda
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" scope="col" |{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |Portrait
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Elected
! colspan="3" scope="colgroup" |Term of office
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Ethnic groups in Rwanda|Ethnic group]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[List of political parties in Rwanda|Political party]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Prime Minister of Rwanda|Prime minister(s)]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Ref.}}
|-
! scope="col" | Took office
! scope="col" | Left office
! scope="col" | Time in office
|-
! colspan="12" | [[Rwanda|Republic of Rwanda]] {{small|(part of [[Ruanda-Urundi]])}}
|- style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| {{Sort|4.1|—}}
! style="background:{{party color|Parmehutu}}" |
| [[File:No image.png|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Dominique|Mbonyumutwa}}{{Double dagger}}<br />{{small|(1921–1986)}}
| —
| {{dts|28 January 1961}}
| {{dts|26 October 1961}}
| {{ayd|1961|1|28|1961|10|26}}
| [[Hutu]]
| [[Parmehutu]]
| [[Grégoire Kayibanda|Kayibanda]]
|
|-
| 1
! style="background:{{party color|Parmehutu}}" |
| [[File:Grégoire Kayibanda (cropped).jpg|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=Grégoire Kayibanda]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Grégoire|Kayibanda}}<br />{{small|(1924–1976)}}
| [[1961 Rwandan general election|1961]]
| {{dts|26 October 1961}}
| {{dts|1 July 1962}}
| {{ayd|1961|10|26|1962|7|1}}
| Hutu
| [[Parmehutu]]
| ''Himself''
|
|-
! colspan="12" | Republic of Rwanda {{small|(independent country)}}
|-
| {{Sort|6.1|(1)}}
! style="background:{{party color|Parmehutu}}" |
| [[File:Grégoire Kayibanda (cropped).jpg|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=Grégoire Kayibanda]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Grégoire|Kayibanda}}<br />{{small|(1924–1976)}}
| [[1965 Rwandan general election|1965]]<br />[[1969 Rwandan general election|1969]]
| {{dts|1 July 1962}}
| {{dts|5 July 1973}}<br />{{small|([[1973 Rwandan coup d'état|Deposed in coup]])}}
| {{ayd|1962|7|1|1973|7|5}}
| Hutu
| [[Parmehutu]]
| ''Position abolished''
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/07/06/archives/military-coup-in-rwanda-follows-tribal-dissension.html |title=Military Coup in Rwanda Follows Tribal Dissension|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=6 July 1973 |access-date= 13 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = Mission d'information sur le Rwanda | language = French | url = http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dossiers/rwanda/r1271.asp#P1538_159983 | quote = Celui-ci s'était construit sur la destruction de la Première République. Entre 1974 et 1977, 56 personnes, pour la plupart d'anciens dirigeants de la Première République, avaient été assassinés par les services de la sécurité. Le premier Président rwandais, Grégoire Kayibanda, était mort en détention en 1976, probablement de faim.}}</ref>
|-
| 2
! style="background:{{party color|National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development}}" |
| [[File:Juvénal Habyarimana (1980).jpg|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=Juvénal Habyarimana]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Juvénal|Habyarimana}}<br />{{small|(1937–1994)}}<br />{{efn|Styled as ''Chairman of the Committee for Peace and National Unity'' until 1 August 1973.}}
| [[1978 Rwandan presidential election|1978]]<br />[[1983 Rwandan presidential election|1983]]<br />[[1988 Rwandan presidential election|1988]]
| {{dts|5 July 1973}}
| {{dts|6 April 1994}}<br />{{small|([[Assassination of Juvénal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira|Assassinated]])}}
| {{ayd|1973|7|5|1994|4|6}}
| Hutu
| [[National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development|MRND]] / <br />[[Rwandan Defence Force#Independence and early history (1960–1994)|Military]]
| ''Position abolished<br />{{small|(until 1991)}}''<hr />[[Sylvestre Nsanzimana|Nsanzimana]]<br />[[Dismas Nsengiyaremye|Nsengiyaremye]]<br />[[Agathe Uwilingiyimana|Uwilingiyimana]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/07/obituaries/juvenal-habyarimana-57-ruled-rwanda-for-21-years.html |title=Juvenal Habyarimana, 57, Ruled Rwanda for 21 Years |author=Ronald Sullivan|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 April 1994 |access-date= 12 July 2024}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="12"| Vacant ({{Dts|format=dmy|1994|April|6}} – {{Dts|format=dmy|1994|April|8}})
|-
|- style="background:#e6e6aa;"
| {{Sort|4.1|—}}
! style="background:{{party color|National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development}}" |
| [[File:No image.png|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Théodore|Sindikubwabo}}{{Double dagger}}<br />{{small|(1928–1998)}}<br />{{efn|After the assassination of Habyarimana, Colonel [[Théoneste Bagosora]] along with Colonel Rwagafilita gathered supporters and convened a meeting of a Crisis Committee; Sindikubwabo was installed as interim President at the meeting. The committee was officially dissolved, but Bagosora and other senior officers remained ''[[de facto]]'' leaders of the country during Sindikubwabo's term.}}
| —
| {{dts|8 April 1994}}
| {{dts|19 July 1994}}<br />{{small|(Ousted)}}<br />{{efn|Fled to [[Zaire]] at the end of the [[Rwandan Civil War]] and the [[Rwandan genocide]].}}
| {{ayd|1994|4|8|1994|7|19}}
| Hutu
| [[National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development|MRND]]
| [[Jean Kambanda|Kambanda]]
|
|-
| 3
! style="background:{{party color|Rwandan Patriotic Front}}" |
| [[File:Pasteur Bizimungu 1998 (cropped).jpg|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=Pasteur Bizimungu]]
! scope="row" | {{Sortname|Pasteur|Bizimungu}}<br />{{small|(born 1950)}}
| —
| {{dts|19 July 1994}}
| {{dts|23 March 2000}}<br />{{small|(Resigned)}}
| {{ayd|1994|7|19|2000|3|23}}
| Hutu
| [[Rwandan Patriotic Front|RPF]]
| [[Faustin Twagiramungu|Twagiramungu]]<br />[[Pierre-Célestin Rwigema|Rwigema]]<br />[[Bernard Makuza|Makuza]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/24/world/rwanda-president-resigns.html |title=Rwanda President Resigns |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=24 March 2000 |access-date= 12 July 2024}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 4
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Rwandan Patriotic Front}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Paul Kagame 2014.jpg|frameless|upright=0.40|alt=Paul Kagame]]
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | {{Sortname|Paul|Kagame}}<br />{{small|(born 1957)}}
| —
| style="background:#e6e6aa;" | {{dts|24 March 2000}}{{Double dagger}}
| style="background:#e6e6aa;" | {{dts|22 April 2000}}
| rowspan="2" | {{ayd|2000|3|24}}
| rowspan="2" | [[Tutsi]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Rwandan Patriotic Front|RPF]]
| rowspan="2" | Makuza<br />[[Pierre Habumuremyi|Habumuremyi]]<br />[[Anastase Murekezi|Murekezi]]<br />[[Édouard Ngirente|Ngirente]]<br />[[Justin Nsengiyumva|Nsengiyumva]]
| rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/world/africa/rwanda-genocide-anniversary.html |title=From the Horror to the Envy of Africa: Rwanda's Leader Holds Tight Grip |author=[[Declan Walsh (journalist)|Declan Walsh]]|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=6 April 2024 |access-date= 12 July 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[2003 Rwandan presidential election|2003]]<br />[[2010 Rwandan presidential election|2010]]<br />[[2017 Rwandan presidential election|2017]]<br />[[2024 Rwandan general election|2024]]
| {{dts|22 April 2000}}
| Incumbent
|}

==Timeline==
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:21
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:80 right:150 left:20
AlignBars = late

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

Colors =
  id:mil       value:rgb(0.76,0.69,0.57) legend:Military
  id:parmehutu value:rgb(0.55,0.27,0.07) legend:Party_of_the_Hutu_Emancipation_Movement
  id:mrnd      value:rgb(0,0,0)          legend:National_Republican_Movement_for_Democracy_and_Development
  id:fpr       value:rgb(0.1,0.3,0.91)   legend:Rwandan_Patriotic_Front

  id:gray1  value:gray(0.85)
  id:gray2  value:gray(0.95)

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1961 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+1}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1965
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1961

Legend     = columns:1 left:150 top:35 columnwidth:170
 
TextData =
  pos:(20,38) textcolor:black fontsize:M
  text:"Political party:"

BarData =
 bar:Mbonyumutwa
 bar:Kayibanda
 bar:Habyarimana
 bar:Sindikubwabo
 bar:Bizimungu
 bar:Kagame

PlotData =
  width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

 bar:Mbonyumutwa
  from: 28/01/1961 till: 26/10/1961 color:parmehutu text:"[[Dominique Mbonyumutwa]] (interim)"
 bar:Kayibanda
  from: 26/10/1961 till: 05/07/1973 color:parmehutu text:"[[Grégoire Kayibanda]]"
 bar:Habyarimana
  from: 05/07/1973 till: 05/07/1975 color:mil
  from: 05/07/1975 till: 06/04/1994 color:mrnd      text:"[[Juvénal Habyarimana]]"
 bar:Sindikubwabo
  from: 08/04/1994 till: 19/07/1994 color:mrnd      text:"[[Théodore Sindikubwabo]] (interim)"
 bar:Bizimungu
  from: 19/07/1994 till: 23/03/2000 color:fpr       text:"[[Pasteur Bizimungu]]"
 bar:Kagame
  from: 24/03/2000 till: $today     color:fpr       text:"[[Paul Kagame]]"

}}

==Latest election==
{{main|2024 Rwandan general election}}
{{#section-h:2024 Rwandan general election|President}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Africa}}
* [[Politics of Rwanda]]
* [[List of kings of Rwanda]]
* [[Vice President of Rwanda]]
* [[Prime Minister of Rwanda]]
* [[List of colonial governors of Ruanda-Urundi]]
** [[List of colonial residents of Rwanda]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* {{cite web |author=Commission Juridique Et Constitutionnelle Du Rwanda (CJCR) |date=26 May 2003 |title=Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda |url=http://www.cjcr.gov.rw/eng/constitution_eng.doc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325021301/http://www.cjcr.gov.rw/eng/constitution_eng.doc |archive-date=25 March 2009 |access-date=12 November 2015 | ref = {{sfnRef|CJCR|2003}} }}

==External links==
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Rwanda.htm World Statesmen – Rwanda]

{{Presidents of Rwanda}}
{{Rwanda topics}}
{{Heads of state and government of Africa}}

[[Category:Lists of national presidents|Rwanda]]
[[Category:Presidents of Rwanda| ]]
[[Category:1961 establishments in Rwanda]]
[[Category:Rwanda politics-related lists|Presidents]]
[[Category:Lists of Rwandan people|Presidents]]