Elections of Rwanda’s next senators are scheduled to take place in September, according to a new Presidential Order.
The Presidential Order of June 16 determining the polling date and electoral campaign period for elections of senators was published in the Official Gazette on the same day.
It provides that the electoral campaign starts on Monday, August 26, and ends on Saturday, September 14.
The polling date for 12 Senators elected in accordance with national administrative entities is Monday, September 16, while the polling date for one Senator from public institutions of higher learning and one Senator from private institutions of higher learning is Tuesday, September 17.
Members of the current Senate, which is the third, took oath of office on October 17, 2019, to serve their five-year term.
Elected and appointed senators serve a five-year term, renewable once. However, senators who are former Heads of State are not subject to term limits, as per the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda.
Meanwhile, elections for members of the Chamber of Deputies are slated for July.
Composition of the Senate
Article 80 of the constitution provides that the Senate is composed of 26 Senators. They include 12 senators elected by specific electoral colleges in accordance with national administrative entities; eight senators appointed by the President of the Republic, giving particular consideration to the principles of national unity, the representation of historically marginalised groups, and any other national interests.
There are also four senators designated by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations; one academician or researcher from public institutions of higher learning, holding at least the rank of associate professor, elected by the academic and research staff of those institutions; and one academician or researcher from private institutions of higher learning, holding at least the rank of associate professor, elected by the academic and research staff of the same institutions.
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In addition, former Heads of State who successfully completed their term of office or resigned voluntarily, become Senators upon their request to the President of the Senate and approval by the Bureau of the Senate within 30 days, according to the constitution.
Senate’s responsibilities
Overall, the mandate of the Rwanda Parliament – which is bicameral as it consists of the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House), and the Senate (the Upper House) – is to legislate and oversee the Executive action for and on behalf of the people of Rwanda.
The Senate has particular responsibilities of monitoring the application of fundamental principles, monitoring the functioning of political organisations, approving the appointment of officials and providing opinions on the State finance bill (national budget bill).
Article 10 of the constitution stipulates that the State of Rwanda commits itself to upholding and ensuring respect for the fundamental principles. They are prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, fight against denial and revisionism of genocide as well as eradication of genocide ideology and all its manifestations; eradication of discrimination and divisionism based on ethnicity, region or any other ground, as well as promotion of national unity.
Others are equitable power-sharing; building a State governed by the rule of law, a pluralistic democratic government, equality of all Rwandans and between women and men which is affirmed by women occupying at least 30 per cent of positions in decision-making organs; building a State committed to promoting social welfare and establishing appropriate mechanisms for equal opportunity to social justice; as well as constant quest for solutions through dialogue and consensus.