Politics of Rwanda
Politics of Rwanda | |
|---|---|
| Polity type | De facto: one-party state Nominally unitary dominant-party semi-presidential constitutional republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Rwanda |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | Parliament |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Upper house | |
| Name | Senate |
| Presiding officer | Augustin Iyamuremye, Speaker of the Senate |
| Lower house | |
| Name | Chamber of Deputies |
| Presiding officer | Donatille Mukabalisa, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of state | |
| Title | President of Rwanda |
| Currently | Paul Kagame |
| Appointer | Direct popular vote |
| Head of government | |
| Title | Prime Minister |
| Currently | Justin Nsengiyumva |
| Appointer | President |
| Cabinet | |
| Name | Cabinet of Rwanda |
| Current cabinet | Kagame government |
| Leader | President |
| Deputy leader | Prime Minister |
| Appointer | President |
| Judicial branch | |
| Supreme Court of Rwanda | |
| Chief judge | Faustin Ntezilyayo |
The Republic of Rwanda is politically a de facto one-party republic governed by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and its leader, Paul Kagame, who was formally elected in 2000, since the RPF played the primary role in ending the 1994 genocide. Although Rwanda is nominally democratic, elections are manipulated in various ways, which include banning opposition parties, arresting or assassinating critics, and electoral fraud.
Rwandan legislation has developed from Belgian and German civil law systems, with the country's customary law taking place in a framework of a semi-presidential republic, whereby the president of Rwanda serves as the head of state, possessing significant executive power, together with the prime minister of Rwanda serving as the constitutional head of government.
Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. On 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution that incorporates elements of the 18 June 1991 constitution as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha Accords and the November 1994 multiparty protocol of understanding.