The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Though politics in Rwanda have been dominated by the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) since the 1994 genocide, the country’s 2003 constitution includes measures aimed at strengthening multi-party representation in government structures. The RPF has claimed large victories at the ballot box, for example, but can only hold one-half the cabinet seats.  The prime minister, and the speaker of Rwanda’s Parliament are required to come from different parties than the president. Rwanda’s system of mandating female representation in decision-making bodies led to the election in 2008 of the only legislature in the world where women are in the majority.

Freedom House ranks Rwanda as “Not Free” and the country’s poor scores for civil liberties, political rights and voice and accountability have prevented it from qualifying fully for funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (Rwanda is currently classified as a “threshold country”). The perception that political parties helped citizens organize and participate in the genocide make many Rwandans reluctant to participate actively in politics, especially if they hold views counter to stated government or RPF positions. The national emphasis on unity and consensus has limited parties’ abilities and desire to develop competing, issue-oriented messages.  In the 2008 legislative elections, the RPF gained an even greater majority than it did in 2003, at least in part because the other eight competing parties failed to offer meaningful alternatives to voters. Since the election, however, three political groups have registered or announced their intent to register as political parties.

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