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• Legislative oversight of the executive
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Article 129
In the context of obtaining information and exercising oversight of government
action, members of the Senate may address oral or written questions to the Prime
Minister to which he/she shall either respond in person if the questions relate to the
government as a whole or to many Ministries collectively or through the Ministers
responsible for the matters in question.
The Senate may, in addition, set up commissions for oversight of government action.
However, it shall not conduct interpellation or initiate a motion of no confidence.
• Cabinet removal
• Head of government removal
Article 130
The Chamber of Deputies may put the performance of Cabinet or of one or several
members into question through a vote of no confidence.
A motion of no confidence shall only be accepted after interpellation and only on
condition that the motion is signed by at least a fifth (1/5) of the members of the
Chamber of Deputies in the case of a vote of no confidence against one member of
the Cabinet, or by at least a third (1/3) of the members of the Chamber of Deputies if
it concerns the entire Cabinet.
A motion of no confidence shall not be voted upon prior to the expiry of at least
forty-eight (48) hours after its introduction and shall be adopted through a secret
ballot by a majority of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Chamber of
Deputies.
The conclusion of ordinary or extraordinary sessions shall be postponed to ensure
the application of the provisions of this Article.
• Cabinet removal
• Head of government removal
• Limits on removing head of government
Article 131
A member of the Cabinet against whom a vote of no confidence is passed shall
tender his/her resignation to the President of the Republic through the Prime
Minister.
When the vote of no confidence is passed against the Government, the Prime
Minister shall tender the resignation of the Government to the President of the
Republic.
Where a motion of no confidence is rejected, signatories to the motion shall not
introduce another motion for a vote of no confidence during the same session.
• Head of government removal
Article 132
The Prime Minister may, upon the proposal by the Cabinet, request the Chamber of
Deputies to pass a motion on a vote of confidence either in respect of the
Government programme or adoption of a bill.
The debate on the request for a vote of confidence may not take place prior to the
expiry of at least three (3) full days from the time the request was submitted.
A vote on the motion of confidence may only be rejected through a secret ballot by a
majority of two-thirds (2/3) of the members to the Chamber of Deputies.
In the event that the Prime Minister loses a vote of confidence, he/she shall submit
the resignation of the Government to the President of the Republic, within twenty
four (24) hours.
Rwanda 2003 (rev. 2010)
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