Government of Rwanda
Long Conventional Name
Republic of Rwanda
Short Conventional Name
Rwanda
Long Local Name
Republika y'u Rwanda
Short Local Name
Rwanda
Government Type
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Capital City
Kigali
Administrative Divisions
5 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); East, Kigali, North, South, West
Independence Day
Sunday, 1st July 1962
Constitutional History
New constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
Legal System
Based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State
President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
Head of Government
Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)
Cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections
President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in 2010)
Legislative Branch
Bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; to serve five-year terms)
Judical Branch
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Flag Description
Three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band
