Ministerial Order determining Use of National Orders


Rwanda

Ministerial Order determining Use of National Orders

Ministerial Order 1 of 2020

The Minister of Youth and Culture;Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015, especially in Articles 121, 122 and 176;Pursuant to Law n° 13 bis/2009 of 16/06/2009 determining the responsibilities, structure and functioning of the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour, as amended to date, especially in Article 58;After consideration and approval by the Cabinet, in its meeting of 28/11/2019;ORDERS:

Chapter One
General provisions

Article One – Purpose of this Order

This Order determines the use of national orders.

Chapter II
Use of national orders

Article 2 – Use of a national order

A holder of a national order wears it during official holidays of the Republic of Rwanda or meetings in which he or she is invited by public or private organs.A holder of a national order wears it around the neck or on the left side of the chest depending on its design.When national orders to be worn on the chest are many, the holder wears them one after the other, from the right to the left side starting with the most important.

Article 3 – Use of a national order at burial ceremonies of its holder

When the holder of a national order dies, during farewell ceremonies, the national order is exposed so that it can be seen by participants.Before lowering the body into the grave or its cremation, the holder of the national order family representative keeps the national order.If the family representative of the holder of the national order does not need to keep the national order, he or she gives it back to the national organ in charge of national orders.If the holder national order dies without a family, the Executive Secretary of the residence Sector of the holder gives back the national order to the national organ in charge of national orders after burial.

Chapter III
Keeping and loss of national order

Article 4 – Keeping a national order

A holder of a national order keeps it in honourable way.The family representative continues to retain the national order in honourable way in memory of the deceased.

Article 5 – Loss, steal or spoil of a national order

When a national order is lost, stolen or spoiled, the holder or the family representative, if the holder died, notifies it to the national organ in charge of national orders.A holder of a national order whose national order is lost, stolen or spoiled can receive another one when the national organ in charge of national orders finds the holder of the national order behaved with due diligence. However, a national order which is lost, stolen or spoiled after death of the holder is not replaced.

Chapter IV
Prohibitions and penalty

Article 6 – Prohibitions

The holder of a national order is not permitted:to use or to wear it in a way that dishonours it;to lend it to another person for using it;to sell, to give or to transform it.When the holder of a national order died, the family representative of the holder of a national order is not allowed to use it in any way.

Article 7 – Sanction

A person who uses a national order contrary to provisions of this Order is dispossessed of the national order by the national organ in charge of national orders and it is published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda.

Chapter V
Final provisions

Article 8 – Repealing provision

All prior provisions contrary to this Order are repealed.

Article 9 – Commencement

This Order comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda.
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History of this document

13 February 2020 this version
23 January 2020
Assented to