Doubts cast on landmark Rwandan poll

RWANDA’S presidential election was marred by irregularities, including some instances of President Paul Kagame’s agents telling people to vote for him, the leading EU election observer has said.

Colette Flesch, head of the 72 EU electoral observers who monitored the election, stopped short of endorsing Mr Kagame's landslide victory in Monday's vote, which came nine years after more than half a million people, mostly minority Tutsis, were slaughtered by extremists from the Hutu majority. But she was optimistic about the country's future.

"Optimal conditions for free elections were probably not entirely met," Ms Flesch said. "Nevertheless, this presidential election is the premise for the opening of a new democratic era in Rwanda."