The draft law on genocide ideology which recently sailed through the Chamber of Deputies, has now been forwarded to the Upper house.

MP Evariste Kalisa, who presented the Bill before Senators on Friday said that the document was necessary to help fight the deadly ideology which plunged the country into the 1994 Genocide.

The Bill was initiated by the Chamber of Deputies after a parliamentary commission of inquiry unearthed chilling cases of the ideology among Rwandans, especially in schools.

MPs last Month passed the Bill after a heated debate over some of the provisions. The most controversial was article 13 which subjects a person who wrongfully accuses another of harbouring the ideology to serve half the punishment of the sentence the accused would have served on conviction.

The controversy was ignited by the fact that it would be difficult to get evidence to convict such a person of genocide ideology. The same provision is also expected to be the main bone of contention when the Senate starts debating it. Vice Speaker Denis Polisi said the article had to be included in the interests of all Rwandans. He downplayed fears that it would instead fail efforts to curb the vice since some people might hesitate to blow the whistle.

According to the Bill, any person convicted of harbouring the Genocide ideology shall serve between 10 to 25 years in prison, and a fine ranging between Frw200,000 and Frw1 million.

This means that a whistle-blower who fails to convince court risks spending a minimum of five years and maximum of 12 and a half years in jail, and a fine ranging from Frw100,000 to half a million francs.

The draft law also suggests that any person found guilty of the crime of genocide ideology or commits recidivism shall be sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Bill also provides that any association, political organisation or a non-profit making organisation convicted of the ideology shall be dissolved and fined of up to Frw5 million.

It also criminalises children above seven years of age who would be found harbouring the ideology. Dr Vincent Biruta, the President of the Senate, said that the Bill would be fully debated in the Senatorial Standing Committee on Human Rights and later on by the plenary. Should the Upper House approve the Bill, it will be forwarded back to the Chamber of Deputies which will then submit it to the President of the Republic to be signed and made into law.

In case Senators disagree on certain provisions, then both chambers will institute a joint committee to reach a consensus on the controversial issues.

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