Powersharing Transitional Government – 1994

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Powersharing Transitional Government – 1994

1994

Full Implementation Full implementation

Even though power-sharing provisions were negotiated in the 1993 accord, the actual establishment of a power-sharing government stalled as the hard-line Hutus opposed any power-sharing with the minority Tutsis.1 Agathe Uwilingiyimana from MDR became prime minister on 18 July 1993 but was assassinated on 7 April 1994.

After genocidal events, the UNAMIR technical team sought the views of political and military leaders in the camps (in Zaire) regarding the conditions, involving exiled Hutu leadership in all negotiation processes, including a revival of acceptable elements of the Arusha Accord and its power-sharing provisions.2 In September, a power-sharing government was formed and late president Habyarimana’s party was excluded.3 After taking over Rwanda, the RPF installed an “Enlarged Transitional Government” on 19-20 July 1994, which they claimed was based on the Arusha Accord. They did allocate positions to the MDR, PL, and PSD as dictated by the Arusha Accords, but they unilaterally excluded the MRND and assumed all of their posts rather than sharing them with the other parties.4 Extremist parties were rendered illegal and, therefore, not part of the power-sharing government. Other political parties were part of the power-sharing government but they were politically weak.5 According to the UN Secretary General’s report, a broad-based government of national unity was installed on 19 July 1994 and that government established control over the Rwandan territory.6

On 17 July 1994, the victorious rebels (RPF) made a declaration establishing inclusive government institutions and renouncing power-sharing with political parties and groups that organized and perpetrated genocide. From MDR, Faustin Twagiramungu was appointed prime minister on 19 July 1994. After the declaration, a protocol agreement between incumbent political forces (RPF, MDR, PDC, PDI, PL, PSD, PSR and UDPR) regarding the establishment of national institutions was signed on 14 November 1994.8

Accordingly, a power-sharing national assembly was established on 25 November 1994. Of the 70 seats in the National Assembly, the RPF had 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2.9 The RPF installed the Transitional National Assembly on 25 December 1994.

  1. “Only God Knows What Will Happen,’ Child Cries”, The Ottawa Citizen, May 11, 1994
  2. “Secretary General’s Report to the Security Council,” United Nations (S/1994/1308), November 18, 1994
  3. “Some 2,000 Former Soldiers Train for Rwanda’s New Military,” Agence France Presse, October 15, 1994
  4. Timothy Longman, “Obstacles to peace building in Rwanda,” Durable peace: Challenges for peacebuilding in Africa, ed. Taisier Ali and Robert O. Matthews, 61-85
  5. Rachel Hayman, “Going in the ‘Right’ Direction? Promotion of Democracy in Rwanda since 1990,” Taiwan Journal of Democracy 5, no.1 (2009): 51-75
  6. “Secretary General’s Report to the Security Council,” United Nations (S/1994/1133), October 6, 1994
  8. Wellars Gasamagera, “The Constitution Making Process in Rwanda, Lessons to Be Learnt,” 2007, accessed September 13, 2011, http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan026620.pdf…

    The July declaration and the November protocol agreement, as well as the power-sharing legislature that was loosely associated with the 1993 Arusha accord, were important in the formation of the national unity government.

    The Government of National Unity outlined the following eight-point plan:

    1. Reinforce a climate of peace and security.

    2. Organize the central, prefectural, communal, sector and cell administration.

    3. Restore and strengthen national unity.

    4. Repatriate and settle of refugees.

    5. Improve the people’s living conditions and resolve those social problems which were a result of genocide, massacres and war (i.e. those of orphans, widows and the physically handicapped).

    6. Re-launch the national economy.

    7. Redefine the country’s foreign policy.

    8. Strengthen democracy in Rwanda.7“New Prime Minister Says He Will Continue With Government Programme”, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, September 4, 1995

  9. “The World Factbook- 1996,” CIA, 1996, accessed September 11, 2011, http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact96/211.htm.