Rights
The 2003 constitution as revised in 2015, with power-sharing guarantees
The 2003 constitution, substantially revised by referendum in 2015, entrenches provisions against genocide ideology, requires that no single party hold more than half the cabinet posts, and reserves at least 30% of decision-making positions for women. The 2015 revision reset presidential terms and shortened them to five years from 2024.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Supreme Court exercises constitutional jurisdiction; the High Court and intermediate courts sit below it.
- Deadline — Presidential term: seven years under the transitional arrangement, five years and renewable once from 2024
- Deadline — Constitutional review: referred to the Supreme Court
Governing law
- Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda, 2003revised by referendum, 2015
- Organic Law establishing the Supreme Court
- Law on the crime of genocide ideology and related offences
In practice
Rwanda's constitution is shaped throughout by the 1994 genocide: it constitutionalises power-sharing across parties, entrenches gender quotas that have made Rwanda's parliament the most female in the world, and criminalises genocide ideology and denial. The 2015 revision, approved with an overwhelming reported majority, permitted the incumbent to stand again while reducing future terms.