The second Republic of Rwanda: Evolution, Balance and Perspectives

This paper provides a short survey and assessment of the political evolution of Rwanda since the inception of the Second Republic in 1973. After a period of de facto rule the country returned to constitutional government in 1978. A single party, the Revolutionary National Movement for the Developmen...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Filip Reyntjens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Gents Afrika Platform, Afrika Brug 1986-11-01
Series:Afrika Focus
Online Access:https://ojs.ugent.be/AF/article/view/6609
Description
Summary:This paper provides a short survey and assessment of the political evolution of Rwanda since the inception of the Second Republic in 1973. After a period of de facto rule the country returned to constitutional government in 1978. A single party, the Revolutionary National Movement for the Development, had already been created by the military in 1975. The paper examines the constitution, the organisation of elections, political conflict and the respect for human rights and the rule of law. While the regime has achieved considerable successes, the paper argues that its level of institutionalisation remains limited and that its stability and achievements are essentially due to the personality of President Habyarimana. KEYWORDS : civilianisation, constitutional law, political change, Rwanda
ISSN:0772-084X
0772-084X