The plenary sitting of the Chamber of Deputies held on 2 November 2023 adopted the relevance of the draft organic law amending organic law n°001/2019.ol of 29/07/2019 governing elections. 

During the session, the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Musabyimana Jean Claude told the Plenary Sitting that one of the main reasons for revising the organic law was to harmonize it with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda as it was revised and published in the Official Gazette n° Special of 04/08/2023, especially its article 75 that provides that the legislative elections are held at the same time as presidential elections. 

Deputies adopted the relevance of the draft organic law amending organic law n°001/2019.ol of 29/07/2019 governing elections and recommend it to be submitted to the relevant Standing Committee for further consideration. 

Deputies also voted on the law amending law nº 027/2019 of 19/09/2019 relating to the criminal procedure and the law amending law nº 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties in general.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Gender, Hon. RUBAGUMYA Furaha Emma told the Plenary Sitting that both laws were amended in accordance with the provision of the new Criminal Justice Policy which serves as a guide in ensuring fair justice. Punitive justice redresses and restores the offenders into the Rwandan community being useful citizens to themselves and to the country while also preventing them from being recidivists. 
  
The major points included in the law amending law nº 027/2019 of 19/09/2019 relating to the criminal procedure are: (i) Empower the organ in charge of investigation (RIB) with powers to close the case file if deemed; (ii) Empower NPPA with powers to initiate formalities for negotiations between the suspect and victim in case the committed offence is not punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding 5 years necessary and (iii) Reduce the period of imprisonment to be completed before applying for release on parole.

The main reasons for the amendment of the law nº 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties, in general, are (i) Giving more flexibility to judges to reduce a penalty in case of mitigating circumstances; (ii) Prescribing both the imprisonment and fine penalties (iii) Making the crime of child defilement imprescriptible and (iv) Providing for other prohibited acts not currently punishable by law.