Rwanda · Overview
The legal system of Rwanda
The clearest case of deliberate legal-system migration in Africa: a Belgian civil-law inheritance progressively reoriented toward common law after 1994, with English adopted as an official language, Commonwealth membership in 2009, and commercial legislation drafted on common-law models. The gacaca community courts that tried genocide cases between 2005 and 2012 have no real parallel elsewhere.
Legal tradition
Rwanda belongs to the mixed (civil law transitioning toward common law) tradition. The clearest case of deliberate legal-system migration in Africa: a Belgian civil-law inheritance progressively reoriented toward common law after 1994, with English adopted as an official language, Commonwealth membership in 2009, and commercial legislation drafted on common-law models. The gacaca community courts that tried genocide cases between 2005 and 2012 have no real parallel elsewhere.
How power is divided
Presidential system with a Prime Minister, a bicameral Parliament of Chamber of Deputies and Senate, and a judiciary headed by the Supreme Court which also exercises constitutional jurisdiction.
Where law comes from
- Constitution
- Supreme law; 2003 text as revised in 2015.
- International treaties
- Rank above organic and ordinary laws once ratified.
- Organic and ordinary laws
- Parliamentary legislation, with organic laws on defined subjects.
- Codes and commercial statutes
- Civil, penal, family and company law drafted increasingly on common-law models.
- Custom
- Applies only where no written law addresses the matter and it is consistent with the constitution.
The legal profession
Advocates admitted through the Rwanda Bar Association after a law degree and bar course; practice increasingly requires English-language common-law competence alongside civil-law training.
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