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B. High Court
Article 149: High Court
There is hereby established a High Court whose territorial jurisdiction shall be the
whole country.
• Ordinary court selection
The High Court shall be headed by the President and the Vice President appointed
by Presidential Order after their approval by the Senate. The President of the
Republic shall submit to the Senate a list of candidates whose number equals that of
vacant posts of judges after consultation with the Cabinet and the High Council of
the Judiciary.
• Constitutional interpretation
The High Court shall have jurisdiction to try in the first instance some types of
felonies as well as international or transboundaring offences as may be determined
by Law.
• Regulation of political parties
It shall in the first instance hear cases for violation of Articles 52, 53 and 54 of the
Constitution committed by political organizations.
It shall also hear in the first instance certain administrative cases, cases involving
political organisations, election petitions and other cases as the law may determine.
• Right to appeal judicial decisions
It shall hear appeals from subordinate courts as a last appellate court as the Law may
determine.
It shall have branches, which will sit in different parts of the country as the law may
determine.
• Supreme/ordinary court judge removal
• Joint meetings of legislative chambers
The President and the Vice President of the High Court may be removed from office
on account of serious misconduct, incompetence or serious professional misconduct
upon request by three fifths (3/5) of either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate
and shall be removed by a two thirds (2/3) majority votes of each Chamber of the
Parliament, in a joint session.
An Organic Law shall determine the organization, jurisdiction and functioning of the
High Court.
C. Intermediate Court
• Structure of the courts
Article 150: Establishment of the Intermediate Courts
There are hereby established Intermediate Courts.
An Organic Law shall determine the organisation, competence and functioning of the
Intermediate Court and the territorial jurisdiction of each Intermediate Court.
D. Primary Court
• Structure of the courts
Article 151: Establishment of Primary Courts
There are hereby established Primary Courts.
An Organic Law shall determine the organisation, competence, functioning of the
Primary Court and territorial jurisdiction of each Primary Court.
Rwanda 2003 (rev. 2010)
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