A draft law governing the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO) which is in parliament proposes several changes to the institution’s management and mandate. An explanatory note of the bill notes that it aims to strengthen the smooth running of CHENO by making significant changes to its management.

The following are the changes the new bill seeks to bring about to this public entity whose mission is to identify, thank, honour and celebrate the memory of Rwandan citizens or foreigners who distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and other acts of bravery serving as good examples:

Temporary Council to be abolished, Chancellor to serve on a permanent basis

Regarding the management of the Chancellery, the bill seeks to abolish the Council of the Chancellery composed of nine members, including the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, who serve on a temporary basis. Its nine members are appointed by a Presidential Order upon proposal by the minister in charge of culture.

In the bill, the Chancellor shall be permanent, and his or her responsibilities will be modified to be compatible with the performance of his or her duties on a permanent basis.

Article 7 (proposed) of the bill provides that the Chancellor is appointed by a Presidential Order after approval by the Senate and serves for a term of office of five years renewable once.

Therefore, once this provision is approved by Parliament, the Chancellery will be managed by the Chancellor, without a Council.

"The draft law implements CHENO's new orientation, giving it a chancellor who does his job on a permanent basis,” the explanatory note reads in part.

So far, the Council is the supreme organ of the Chancellery. It is responsible for heading and taking decisions related to management of its property and identifying persons deserving to be called national heroes and those to be awarded with national orders and decorations of honour.

However, the bill maintains that the Chancellery has an Executive Secretariat, an organ in charge of monitoring its daily activities.

The Executive Secretariat is comprised of the Executive Secretary and the staff members of the Chancellery.

Meanwhile, the explanatory note indicated that there will be change concerning the organisational structure, and staff members of the Executive Secretariat which will be restructured to further improve the service, particularly regarding the research carried out on heroism culture, national heroes, and beneficiaries of national orders.

Research on abarinzi b’igihango

Under the bill, CHENO shall carry out the research on people who promote unity and resilience among Rwandans and deserve to be protectors of the friendship pact (abarinzi b’igihango), a responsibility that was initially assigned to the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE).

This adds to other responsibilities of the Chancellery, which include to participate in designing the policy relating to national heroes and the awarding of national orders; to carry out research on heroic acts and persons recognised for heroism and other useful deeds; and to identify persons who deserve to be national heroes and to receive national orders.

ALSO READ: Abarinzi b’Igihango: Upholding the legacy of those who saved lives during the Genocide

In Rwanda, the protectors of friendship pact includes people who helped thousands of Rwandans survive the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, while others did extraordinary acts in instilling unity among Rwandans in the aftermath of the Genocide, according to information from Unity Club Intwararumuri.

In the draft law, the provisions concerning Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour, are briefly described as the details will be determined by relevant orders.

The draft law incorporates 34 articles, compared to 69 articles of the current 2009 law determining the responsibilities, structure and functioning of CHENO.

Executive Secretary to serve as chief budget manager

According to the bill, the Executive Secretary shall serve as its the Chancellery’s chief budget manager responsible for leading budgeting and financial planning of the entity.

Currently, the Executive Secretary has the responsibility to prepare and submit to the Council the draft budget of the Chancellery.

The responsibility of approving the draft annual budget before it is submitted to the relevant authorities is under the docket of the Council which also has to examine the performance of the Chancellery in accordance with the plan of action and the budget, and to approve the activity and financial reports of the previous year.

Fewer articles

With the bill, the provisions that were in the current law regarding the functioning of the Council of the Chancellery, were removed because the nature of CHENO management is supposed to change.

The provisions concerning Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour, are briefly described. The details will be determined by relevant orders.

The title of the bill was redrafted to make it more general and concise.

The Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour was established in 2003.