Following a request by both chambers of Parliament, the Cabinet Wednesday nominated the seven independent commissioners to the Constitutional Review Commission. The Commission's mandate is to assist parliament in working out the amendments of the constitution after 70 per cent of eligible Rwandan voters petitioned the August House demanding constitutional change. The nominees are Dr. Augustin Iyamuremye (Chairperson); Usta Kayitesi (Vice Chairperson); Evode Uwizeyimana; John Mirenge; Aimable Havugiyaremye; Loyce Bamwine and Beata Mukeshimana. They are all subject to vetting by the Senate. Iyamuremye is the head of the Rwanda Elders Advisory Council, while Kayitesi, is currently the Principal of the University of Rwanda College of Arts and Social Sciences, and prior to that was the Head of Department of Public Law. Uwizeyimana is the current vice-chairperson of Rwanda Law Reform Commission while Milenge is the CEO of RwandAir and a trained lawyer. Aimable Havugiyaremye, another seasoned lawyer is the acting rector at Institute of Legal Practice and Development. He has previously worked at the Ministry of Justice; Law Reform Commission; University of Rwanda and is also an academic from Pretoria University. Bamwine is the Division Manager of Legal Research, Reform and Revision at the Law Reform Commission, while Mukeshimana is Head of Department of Law Research Reform and Revision at the Law Reform Commission.

The Committee comes as parliament rushes to respond to calls by over 3.7 million Rwandans who petitioned the legislators to kick-start a process to amend the constitution and allow President Kagame run again come 2007.

Under the current constitution, President Kagame cannot stand when his second term ends in 2017, and several petitioners, who make up over 70 per cent of the country’s electorate, said there is still much more that Kagame has to offer them and cannot let him go. During an interview yesterday, Samuel Musabyimana, the chairperson of the committee in charge of assessment of deputies’ activities, conduct and legislative immunity, said that the commissioners will be sworn in before judges at the Supreme Court before they begin their work. "They will also need to organise themselves and draw a roadmap, vis-a-vis the task ahead, where they will also design internal regulations to make sure they deliver accordingly,” said Musabyimana, whose commission sponsored the bill that established the commission. "But the core job awaiting them is to draft the preliminary bill of the amended constitution which will later be tabled before the lower chamber of the parliament for consideration.” MP Musabyimana further stressed that although details of their task will be communicated as they proceed, they will be closely working with all Parliament's standing committee chairpersons. The commission, whose members were selected based on their vast experience and training in Law including constitutional matters, will help parliament clean the prime law and propose other relevant changes. The commission has a mandate of four months, subject to extension should the need arise. "Under any circumstances their term can be extended through a presidential decree if the assigned duties not completed in four months period,” he said. Independent commissioners who will then be answerable to the parliament will be given offices and monthly remunerations as stated by Abbas Mukama the Deputy Speaker in charge of administration and finances. The report on any changes in the constitution as suggested by the commission, will be put to a parliamentary vote and once approved by a two-third majority of the legislature, a referendum will be called.

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