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Decisions taken in sessions in respect of which there has either been no convocation
or no agenda has been distributed or which take place during periods outside the
approved time of sessions or outside the designated Chambers shall be null and void,
save as is provided in the preceding paragraph.
Article 68: Incompatibility with the office of a member of
the Parliament
No person shall at the same time be a member of the Chamber of Deputies and the
Senate.
• Eligibility for cabinet
• Head of government's role in the
legislature
The office of a Deputy or a Senator is incompatible with the office of a member of the
Cabinet.
• Outside professions of legislators
The Organic Law establishing internal rules of each Chamber of the Parliament shall
determine other offices which are incompatible with the office of member of the
Parliament.
• Compensation of legislators
An Organic Law shall determine the benefits to which members of the Parliament
are entitled.
• Immunity of legislators
• Removal of individual legislators
Article 69: Immunity for members of the Parliament and
procedures of their prosecution
No member of the Parliament shall be prosecuted, pursued, arrested, detained or
judged for any opinions expressed or by reason of how he/she votes during the
exercise of his/her duties.
No member of the Parliament suspected of a felony or misdemeanour may be
prosecuted or arrested without the authorisation of the Chamber to which he/she
belongs by voting with a majority of two thirds (2/3) of members present except
where a member of the Parliament is caught in flagrante delicto committing a felony
or a court of law has passed a final sentence against him/her.
When it is not in session, an extraordinary session shall be convened for that
purpose.
Any member of the Parliament convicted of a felony by a court of law of last instance
shall be automatically stripped off his/her parliamentary seat, after confirmation by
the Supreme Court.
Each Chamber of the Parliament may, in the Organic Law establishing its internal
rules, make provisions for gross misconduct which may lead to the removal from
office of a member of that Chamber upon approval of its members. In such a case, the
decision to remove the member from office shall be taken by a majority of
three-fifths (3/5) of the members of the concerned Chamber.
• Joint meetings of legislative chambers
• Standing committees
Article 70: Holding of sessions and meetings of the
Chambers of Parliament
Ordinary sessions of both Chambers of Parliament shall take place on the same
dates.
However, meetings and extraordinary sessions of each of the Chambers shall be held
according to the Organic Law establishing its internal rule.
The two Chambers of Parliament cannot meet in joint session save in cases of debate
on issues in respect of which the Constitution mandates a joint session or formal
ceremonies provided for by the Law or other official ceremonies.
Rwanda 2003 (rev. 2010)
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