Parliament plans to launch live radio broadcasts by the end of July to create more awareness and guarantee feedback from the public.

Augustin Habimana, the Director General of Communications and Outreach at Parliament, told The New Times yesterday that the project will be one way of letting the public appreciate Parliamentary business and increase their participation, especially when it comes to giving views.

Habimana said: "There are two main objectives – one is to increase awareness of Parliamentary activities and the need to get feedback so that the population has a more participatory role.”

"Our wish is to make people participate more than they are doing at the moment. If the radio succeeds, then we might as well think about a television project. But we will start with the radio.”

Currently, when lawmakers want to get Rwandan’s opinion on particular matters, teams of MPs undertake field trips. The radio is expected to enhance the legislature’s work.

Clemantine Uwamahoro, a cloths vendor in the Kigali central business district said: "It is a good initiative because people, especially in rural areas who are not able to easily follow what is going on in parliament, will now have a say.”

"But even many of us in urban areas don’t know what is happening in Parliament because I for one cannot leave my business to go to Parliament. So, this is welcome. I will try to follow up when it starts.”

The Parliament consists of two chambers – the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

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