HRF Condemns Rwanda’s New Elections Law as Power Grab by Kagame

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has strongly criticized Rwanda’s newly adopted elections law, arguing that it grants President Paul Kagame unprecedented authority over the composition of electoral colleges responsible for selecting local government leaders.

According to HRF, the reform represents the latest step in a broader pattern of legal and constitutional changes that have steadily expanded Kagame’s control over Rwanda’s political system.

The new organic law, gazetted on May 25, removes detailed provisions governing electoral colleges from Rwanda’s electoral legislation and transfers authority over their composition to the President through a Presidential Order.

Under the previous framework, the structure of electoral colleges was defined directly in law and could only be changed through legislative amendments. The new system allows the President to alter the composition of these bodies by decree, without requiring parliamentary approval.

HRF described the measure as a significant concentration of power in the hands of the presidency.

Government Defends the Reform

Rwandan authorities insist the changes are administrative rather than political.

Speaking to The New Times, Jean Baptiste Kayiranga, a legal advisor at the Ministry of Local Government, said the reform is intended to make electoral administration more flexible and efficient.

"The electoral college could be increased or decreased depending on circumstances, but using a Presidential Order makes it easier to address such changes without amending the organic law," Kayiranga said.

Officials argue that electoral colleges need to evolve as local governance structures change and that relying on presidential orders will reduce the need for repeated legislative revisions.

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has also defended the reform.

NEC Chairperson Oda Gasinzigwa stated that the changes were informed by lessons learned from the 2024 elections and were designed to improve administrative efficiency and strengthen grassroots participation.

"The move aims at avoiding frequent amendments of the Organic Law by allowing flexibility to modify the composition of the electoral colleges whenever prevailing conditions and circumstances require it," Gasinzigwa said.

Why Critics Are Concerned

Despite these explanations, HRF argues that the reform effectively allows Kagame to shape the very bodies that elect district councillors, mayors, and other local leaders.

Electoral colleges play a central role in Rwanda's local governance system. Rather than direct elections for many local positions, representatives from villages, cells, sectors, women’s groups, youth organizations, persons with disabilities, and the private sector participate in indirect voting processes.

By granting the President authority to redefine these bodies, critics fear the system could be manipulated to ensure outcomes favorable to the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

HRF argues that the law further weakens institutional independence by concentrating more decision-making power within the presidency.

Part of a Larger Pattern?

The controversy comes amid longstanding concerns from human rights organizations and democracy advocates regarding political pluralism and electoral competition in Rwanda.

HRF points to previous constitutional and legal changes that strengthened Kagame’s hold on power, most notably the 2015 constitutional amendment that allowed him to extend his rule and potentially remain in office until 2034.

Critics argue that the latest electoral reform follows the same trajectory by shifting important governance decisions away from parliament and into presidential hands.

Supporters of the government, however, maintain that Rwanda's political stability and administrative efficiency require flexible institutions capable of adapting quickly to changing circumstances.

Local Elections Ahead

The debate comes as Rwanda prepares for local government elections expected after the current mandates of district leaders expire in October 2026.

The National Electoral Commission says implementing regulations are already being finalized and that civic education campaigns will be launched to explain the new framework to voters and local officials.

For HRF and other critics, however, the central concern remains unchanged: whether a system that allows the President to determine the composition of electoral colleges can guarantee genuine independence in local elections.

As Rwanda moves toward its next electoral cycle, the new law is likely to intensify scrutiny of the country's democratic institutions and the extent of presidential influence over the political process.