Rwanda - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Rwanda, it was the country is named for a local people, but the meaning of their own name is obscure. The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 4 provinces (provinces, singular - province (French); intara for singular and plural (Kinyarwanda)) and 1 city* (ville (French); umujyi (Kinyarwanda)); Est (Eastern), Kigali*, Nord (Northern), Ouest (Western), Sud (Southern)
National symbols
Traditional woven basket with peaked lid.
The flag
The National flag of Rwanda has .
Info
The National Anthem
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More about the government of Rwanda
| Date of Independence | 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship) |
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| National holiday | Independence Day, 1 July (1962) |
| Legal system | mixed system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous; latest adopted by referendum 26 May 2003, effective 4 June 2003 |
| Amendment process | Proposed by the president of the republic (with Council of Ministers approval) or by two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote in both houses; changes to constitutional articles on national sovereignty, the presidential term, the form and system of government, and political pluralism also require approval in a referendum |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | the father must be a citizen of Rwanda; if the father is stateless or unknown, the mother must be a citizen |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Justin NSENGIYUMVA (since 23 July 2025) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers appointed by the president |
| Election/appointment process | president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president |
| Most recent election date | 4 August 2017 |
| Election results | 2024: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 99.2%, Frank HABINEZA (DGPR) 0.5%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent) 0.3% 2017: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent), other 1.2% |
| Expected date of next election | 15 July 2029 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Parlement (Parliament) |
| Legislative structure | Bicameral |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges; normally organized into 3-judge panels); High Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 24 judges and organized into 5 chambers) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court judges nominated by the president after consultation with the Cabinet and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (SCJ), a 27-member body of judges, other judicial officials, and legal professionals, and approved by the Senate; chief and deputy chief justices appointed for 8-year nonrenewable terms; tenure of judges NA; High Court president and vice president appointed by the president of the republic upon approval by the Senate; judges appointed by the Supreme Court chief justice upon approval of the SCJ; judge tenure NA |
| Subordinate courts | High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Mathilde MUKANTABANA (since 18 July 2013) |
| Chancery | 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 232-2882 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 232-4544 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://rwandaembassy.org/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Eric KNEEDLER (since 3 October 2023) |
| Embassy | 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali |
| Mailing address | 2210 Kigali Place, Washington DC 20521-2210 |
| Telephone | [250] 252 596-400 |
| FAX | [250] 252 580-325 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://rw.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero (c); Nyungwe National Park (n) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Rwanda
Info
International organization participation
All Important Facts about Rwanda
Want to know more about Rwanda? Check all different factbooks for Rwanda below.
