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• Head of state decree power
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Article 63
In the event of the absolute impossibility of Parliament holding session, the
President of the Republic during such period shall promulgate decree-laws adopted
by the Cabinet and those decree-laws shall have the same effect as ordinary Laws.
These decree-laws become null and void if they are not adopted by Parliament at its
next session.
Article 64
Every Member of Parliament represents the whole nation and not just those who
elected or nominated him or her or the political organization on whose ticket he/she
stood for election.
Any imperative mandate is null and void.
The right of vote of a member of Parliament is ad personam.
Article 65: Taking office for members of the Parliament
• Oaths to abide by constitution
Before taking office, members of the Parliament shall take an oath before the
President of the Republic and, in case of his/her absence, before the President of the
Supreme Court.
• Leader of first chamber
• Standing committees
• Leader of second chamber
On commencement of each term of office for members of the Parliament, the first
sitting of each Chamber shall be devoted to the election of the Bureau composed of
the Speaker and Deputy Speakers. It shall be convened and presided over by the
President of the Republic within fifteen (15) days after the publication of the election
results.
• Standing committees
Before taking office, members of the Bureau of each Chamber of the Parliament shall
take oath before the President of the Republic.
• Standing committees
The composition of the Bureau of each Chamber of the Parliament, their
responsibilities as well as modalities for holding sessions shall be determined by the
Organic Law establishing internal rules of each Chamber.
• Public or private sessions
• Quorum for legislative sessions
Article 66
The quorum required for each Chamber of Parliament shall be at least three fifths of
its members.
The sittings of each Chamber of Parliament are public.
However, each Chamber of Parliament may decide, by absolute majority of the
members present, to sit in camera at the request of either the President of the
Republic, the President of Senate or the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies or a
quarter of the members of either Chamber or the Prime Minister.
Article 67
The Chambers of Parliament shall hold their sessions in the Capital City, each at its
respective Chambers designated for the purpose except in cases of force majeure
confirmed by the Supreme Court upon request by the President of the Chamber
concerned. In the event that the Supreme Court itself is unable to hold session, the
President of the Republic shall determine by decree-law the place where the
Parliament shall hold session.
Rwanda 2003 (rev. 2010)
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