Rwanda: Government

Rwanda is governed under the constitution of 2003 as amended. The president, who is head of state, is popularly elected for a seven-year term and is eligible for a second term. Constitutional amendments adopted in 2015 change the presidential term to five years beginning in 2024 and exempted President Paul Kagame from the two-term limit. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president. There is a bicameral Parliament. The Senate has 26 members, 12 elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, and the rest representing political and educational groups; all serve eight-year terms. The Chamber of Deputies has 80 seats; 53 of the members are popularly elected on a proportional basis, and the rest are nominated from women, youth, and other groups. Deputies serve five-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into five provinces.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Independence and Civil Strife
• History to Independence
• Government
• Economy
• Land and People
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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