Constitution of Rwanda, 2003 (PDF)
The supreme law of Rwanda, as published by Ministry of Justice. Published in Kinyarwanda, English and French.
At a glance
- Adopted
- 2003
- Last amended
- 2015
- Languages
- Kinyarwanda, English, French
- Chapters
- 12
- Articles
- 177
- Presidential term
- 5 years (after a 7-year transitional term) · Art. 101
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The President of the Republic is elected for a five (5) year term.
- Presidential term limit
- Two terms (re-elected once) · Art. 101
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He or she may be re-elected once.
- Minimum age to run for President
- 35 years · Art. 99(6°)
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be at least thirty five (35) years old at the time of his or her candidacy;
- Amendment procedure
- Three-quarters of each chamber; referendum for the presidential term and core principles · Art. 175
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The amendment or revision of the Constitution requires a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the members of each Chamber of Parliament.
- Head of state
- President of the Republic · Art. 98
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The President of the Republic is the Head of State.
- Prime minister
- Yes, appointed and dismissed by the President · Art. 116
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The Prime Minister is selected, appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic.
Official Gazette n° Special of 24/12/2015: 'The Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015' (trilingual Kinyarwanda, English, French; PDF hosted by RwandaLII, a legal information site, because no stable ministry PDF was found). English column quoted.
Constitution of Rwanda: common questions
When was the constitution of Rwanda adopted?
The current constitution of Rwanda dates from 2003. It was last amended in 2015.
Where can I download the constitution of Rwanda?
Use the Download PDF button on this page. It is a copy of the text published by Ministry of Justice, Republic of Rwanda (Official Gazette n° Special of 04/08/2023) (Constitution as revised in 2015 and amended by the 2023 revision (Parliament sittings of 05 July 2023), published in Official Gazette n° Special of 04/08/2023). We host it because of the following reuse basis: Rwanda Law 055/2024, Article 282(a): official legislative texts are not protected. If anything differs from the official publication, the official text prevails.
How long is a presidential term in Rwanda?
5 years (after a 7-year transitional term) (Article 101).
What is the minimum age to run for president in Rwanda?
35 years (Article 99(6°)).
How is the constitution of Rwanda amended?
Three-quarters of each chamber; referendum for the presidential term and core principles (Article 175).
The PDF on this page reproduces the text published by Ministry of Justice, Republic of Rwanda (Official Gazette n° Special of 04/08/2023), retrieved 10 Oct 2026. Version: Constitution as revised in 2015 and amended by the 2023 revision (Parliament sittings of 05 July 2023), published in Official Gazette n° Special of 04/08/2023. Reuse basis: Rwanda Law 055/2024, Article 282(a): official legislative texts are not protected. Only layout was changed. If anything differs from the official publication, the official text prevails.
Source: Ministry of Justice, retrieved 10 Oct 2026. See our methods.