The politics of Rwanda take place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Rwanda is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The President is elected by popular vote every seven years, and appoints the Prime Minister and all other members of Cabinet.

 

The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) has been the dominant political party in the country since 1994. The RPF is seen as a Tutsi-dominated party but receives support from across the country, and is credited with ensuring continued peace, stability, and economic growth. However, several human rights organizations claim that the government suppresses the freedoms of opposition.

 

The current President is Paul Kagame, who took office upon the resignation of his predecessor, Pasteur Bizimungu, in 2000. Kagame subsequently won elections in 2003 and 2010, although human rights organizations have criticized these elections as being "marked by increasing political repression and a crackdown on free speech".

 

Rwanda's legal system is largely based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law. The judiciary is independent of the executive branch, although the President and the Senate are involved in the appointment of Supreme Court judges. The constitution provides for two types of courts: ordinary and specialized. Ordinary courts are the Supreme Court, the High Court, and regional courts, while specialized courts are military courts and the traditional Gacaca courts, which have been revived to expedite the trials of genocide suspects.

 

Rwanda has low corruption levels relative to most other African countries; in 2010, Transparency International ranked Rwanda as the eighth cleanest out of 47 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and 66th cleanest out of 178 in the world. It is also a member of the United Nations, African Union, Francophonie, East African Community, and the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

 

Information taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Rwanda