IFES
 

May 26, 2003 Held

Rwanda
Republic of Rwanda
Referendum

Results

Voter Participation


Cast Votes:3,472,200
Valid Votes:3,352,753
Invalid Votes:119,447
Voter
Turnout*

Referendum Vote Share

To prohibit the president and prime minister from belonging to the same political party; to create a bicameral parliament; to elect the president via universal suffrage to seven-year terms; and to forbid political parties from utilizing ethnic, racial, tribal or other criteria that could promote discrimination.

Yes3,132,291

93.42

No220,462

6.58
Election Results Modified: Jun 21, 2024

General Information

At stake in this Referendum:

  • The referendum will ask voters to approve a 204-article draft constitution.

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: President Paul KAGAME*
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA
  • Assembly: Rwanda has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 53 seats.**

* Under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct universal suffrage with a simple majority of the vote cast to serve a term renewable one time only.

** Under the new constitution, members of the Chamber of Deputies will be elected by direct universal suffrage using a system of proportional representation on September 29. They will serve a five-year term. The members of the Senate will be elected through indirect elections and will serve up to 8 years.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

  • The referendum asked voters to approve a 204-article draft constitution to replace the current 1995 Fundamental Law.
    • One provision states that the president and prime minister cannot belong to the same political party.
    • Another provision calls for the creation of a bicameral parliament which consists of an 80-seat Chamber of Deputies and a 26-seat Senate. Chamber members can serve a term of 5 years, while Senate members can serve up to 8 years.
    • The draft constitution stipulates that a president would be elected via universal suffrage to serve seven-year terms.
    • Another provision would forbid political parties from utilizing ethnic, racial, tribal or other criteria that could promote discrimination.

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 8,686,469 (2003)
  • Registered Voters: 3,863,965 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 4,534,532 (2003)

·         Is Rwanda a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (1 May 1980)

·         Has Rwanda ratified CEDAW: Yes(2 March 1981)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: N/A

·         Human Development Index Position: 163 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Rwanda a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Rwanda ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (15 December 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 1,302,970 (est.)

Election Modified: Jun 21, 2024

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