The Speaker of the Lower House and Senate vice-president have commended Members of Parliament for their hard work during the last two months as they closed their third Ordinary Session and broke for a two-month recess.

Donatille Mukabalisa, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, lauded legislators for passing a number of important laws during the last two months, including the passing of the newly-revised draft Constitution.

"The Chamber of Deputies executed its obligations in a satisfactory manner during the session,” she told the Lower House as she officially closed the third Ordinary Session of the Lower House.

The Lower House passed 15 laws during the session.

The Speaker particularly thanked the legislators for the work invested in revising the Constitution, explaining that they had responded to the wishes of the citizens.

"I would like to thank everyone who played a role in the good execution of the process to revise the Constitution,” Mukabalisa said.

During the session, legislators revised the country’s Constitution after making countrywide consultations to hear people’s views about the proposed changes, especially the issue of scrapping presidential term limits to allow President Paul Kagame to continue leadership beyond 2017 when his second two-year term expires.

More than 3.7 million Rwandans (59 per cent of eligible voters) had petitioned Parliament to review the law to allow the current president a chance to stand come 2017.

The revised Constitution, which still has to be approved by citizens in a referendum, reduced presidential term limits from seven to five years renewable only once.

But the change will be preceded by one transitional presidential term of seven years for which any presidential candidates, including President Paul Kagame, will be eligible.

Members of the Cabinet have already asked President Kagame to call a referendum for Rwandans to approve the revised Constitution, which has also introduced other changes such as harmonising the terms of office for senators and Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, as well as the mandate of the Senate.

Bills passed

Among other important bills enacted by the Lower House during the last two months include the law governing public-private partnerships, which has been described as a boon for investments in major projects in the country, as well as the law governing public procurement professionals which seeks to improve services in public procurement and the management of government contracts.

The third Ordinary Session of the Senate also ended yesterday, with the vice-president of the Upper House, Fatou Harerimana, noting that the constitutional amendment process was the highlight of the term.

In addition to passing the Bill on the revised Constitution, the Senate passed eleven other draft laws during the just concluded session.

"You have worked so tirelessly to serve the people and the country at large. I commend your efforts,” Harerimana said as she presided over the closure of the term.

Among the bills that the Senate passed include the amended law on family and persons, the amended law governing Rwanda Correctional Services, amended organic law regulating the national police, amended law governing public prosecution, and the amended law on matrimonial regimes, donations, and successions.

Other bills that were passed by the Senate include the amended law regulating elections, amended organic law regulating Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission, and the amended draft law regulating government parastatals.

The Senate also initiated research on the state of Genocide denial and revisionism internationally, which is still ongoing.

The legislators will come back from recess on February 5 next year, but they remain on stand-by during their break in case Parliament recalls them for Extra-ordinary Sessions.

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