The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), the country’s ruling party, elected its first female vice-chairperson on Sunday as President Paul Kagame kept the chairmanship position.
With 1,945 votes, or around 93% of the total votes cast, Consolee Uwimana won the election.
According to observers, elevating her is the party’s strategy for empowering women and maintaining racial parity in its top leadership.
Up until 2019, Ms. Uwimana, a seasoned banker and businesswoman, served as a senator.
In 2024, Rwanda will have its next round of general elections.
President Kagame has been president of the East African nation since 2000. A controversial referendum in 2015 removed a two-term constitutional limit for presidents.
On Sunday, Mr Kagame got 99.8% of the total votes to retain leadership of the ruling party.
Rwanda has one of the world’s highest proportions of women in parliament and government.