Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); took
office following the siezure of the government by the Tutsi Rwandan
Patriotic Front and the exiling of interim President Dr. Theodore
SINDIKUBWABO; no future election dates have been set
head of government: Prime Minister Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU (since the
siezure of power by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front in July 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Development Council: (Conseil National de Developpement)
elections last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held NA 1995);
results - MRND was the only party; seats - (70 total) MRND 70
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court consists of the Court of
Cassation and the Council of State in joint session
Political parties and leaders: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), Alexis
KANYARENGWE, Chairman; National Revolutionary Movement for Democracy
and Development (MRND); significant independent parties include:
Democratic Republican Movement (MDR); Liberal Party (PL); Democratic
and Socialist Party (PSD); Coalition for the Defense of the Republic
(CDR); Party for Democracy in Rwanda (PADER); Christian Democratic
Party (PDL)
note: formerly a one-party state, Rwanda legalized independent parties
in mid-1991
Other political or pressure groups: Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the
RPF military wing, Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander;
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Joseph W.
MUTABOBA
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
US diplomatic representation: note: US Embassy closed indefinitely chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 756 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 721 28
Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band