The new Senators will be sworn in on Thursday, September 26 and elect the Bureau, which is made up of the President of the Senate and two Vice Presidents, marking the start of the new five-year term.

The swearing-in ceremony of the Rwanda’s first female majority Senate will be officiated by the President of the Republic on Thursday afternoon.

Twenty senators who were elected or appointed in September will joining six others, whose term has not ended yet.

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The six senators were sworn in on October 22, 2020, implying that they have one more year to complete their mandate.

They are Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, Epiphanie Kanziza, André Twahirwa, and Evode Uwizeyimana, who were appointed by President Paul Kagame on October 16, 2020, and Alexis Mugisha, and Clotilde Mukakarangwa, who were designated by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organizations (NFPO), in September, 2020.

The 20 senators to be sworn in today are Laëtitia Nyinawamwiza, Amandin Rugira, Adrie Umuhire, Pélagie Uwera, Sosthène Cyitatire, John Bonds Bideri, Alvera Mukabaramba, Fulgence Nsengiyumva, Marie-Rose Mureshyankwano, and Emmanuel Havugimana.

There is also François-Xavier Kalinda, who has been Senate President since January 2023, Bibiane Mbaye Gahamanyi, Usta Kaitesi, Solina Nyirahabimana, Cyprien Niyomugabo, Espérance Nyirasafari, Telesphore Ngarambe, Penine Uwimbabazi, Donatille Mukabalisa, and Hadidja Murangwa Ndangiza.

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Rwanda’s constitution provides that before assuming his or her duties, a member of Parliament – in this case a senator – takes the oath of office publicly before the President of the Republic or before the President of the Supreme Court, in the absence of the former.

It stipulates that on the commencement of each parliamentary term of office, the first sitting of each chamber the bicameral parliament is devoted to the election of the Bureau.

This sitting is convened and presided over by the President of the Republic within a period of 30 days after the final announcement of election results of members of each Chamber of Parliament.