EU says still work to be done after Rwanda election

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union congratulated Rwanda Wednesday on its presidential election but said the small east African country still had some way to go to ensure basic political and media freedoms.

In a statement, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and development commissioner Andris Piebalgs noted "in particular the calm atmosphere and the very high turnout of voters" for Monday's election.

Official results Wednesday gave President Paul Kagame another term with a landslide 93 percent of the votes cast.

"At the same time, we note that some progress remains to be made in ensuring fundamental freedoms, and freedom of the media," they said.

"The EU is still concerned about the serious incidents which marred the pre-electoral period and urges the Rwandese authorities to ensure that the investigations and judicial proceedings regarding these events are carried out in full transparency and as rapidly as possible."

A journalist and an opposition figure were killed in the run-up to the election, the second since the 1994 genocide of 800,000 people.

Three parties set up to challenge Kagame's rule were meanwhile barred from the vote on procedural grounds and have denounced the poll as a sham, with Commonwealth observers also saying it lacked "critical opposition voices".

The EU statement said: "Further opening of the political space and strengthening the public debate throughout the country would significantly contribute to safeguarding Rwanda's achievements and will benefit all Rwandese."

Kagame has insisted the election was democratic and dismissed allegations that the real opposition was excluded from the vote, as well as any involvement in the killings.

He ran against three other candidates who all supported him at the last presidential poll in 2003.

Delegation of the European Union to RWANDA