The Rwandan legal system

Legal system- Civil law v Common law

English Common law

Historical background

Traditional laws applied during the pre- colonial period. The colonial period begun in 1884 when Germany invaded Rwanda and imposed German customary law. In 1916, Belgium invaded Rwanda and imposed the French civil law system. Both systems applied during the colonial period. Rwanda gained its independence in 1962 and continued to apply mainly the French civil law system. It however abandoned the French civil law after the 1994 genocide and adopted the English common law system which much suited in the business world.

Traditional v Civil

Traditional laws are used in situations where they are not repugnant to justice.

Judiciary system

The Supreme Court is the highest Court in Rwanda. Its decisions are final. The High Court is below the Supreme Court and it has jurisdiction to try serious offences committed in Rwanda and outside Rwanda. There also exists the Provincial Court in each province of the country as well as the Court of the City of Kigali. Each district, town and municipality also has a court of its own. The system also has Military Courts which have jurisdiction to hear and determine offences committed by military persons.

Membership to other zone economic areas

COMESA, EAC, CEEAC.

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