Hearing starts on Rwanda's move to amend constitution

The proceedings to hear a case challenging Rwandan parliament's move to amend the constitution to allow President Paul Kagame to run for third term started Wednesday at the Supreme Court.

Rwandan Parliament in mid July voted to support a change to the constitution that would allow President Kagame to run for a third term in 2017.

The vote followed petitions by more than 3.7 million Rwandans asking parliament to lift presidential term limits -- a change which will now be put to a referendum.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda filed the petition in June, citing article 193, which it said does not allow the change of term limits from the stated two to any other number.

The Party claims that the article only allows a reduction or an increase on the lengths of the term of office, which in this case is seven years.

Earlier, court threw out a person the Party had brought to act as Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) on grounds that "had nothing new" much to the dismay of the petitioner.

State advocates submitted that the Supreme Court did not have competence to try this case and that the Rwandan government had not committed any act against the constitution.

But the party through its President and attorney, Maitre Antoinette Mukamusoni, argued that the Supreme Court as the highest court of the land, had the competence to try the case, since there was no constitutional court in the country.

After hearing arguments on both sides, Rwanda's Chief Justice Prof Sam Rugege who is hearing the case postponed the hearing until September 9 when it will rule on point of procedure raised by lawyers -- which will determine whether to continue with the case. Endit