Rwanda
Prime Ministerial Order determining the Responsibilities, Organization and Functioning of Commitees in Charge of the Environment Conservation and Protection
Prime Ministers Order 126 of 2010
- Published in Official Gazette 45 on 8 November 2010
- Assented to on 25 October 2010
- Commenced on 8 November 2010
- [This is the version of this document from 8 November 2010.]
Chapter One
General provisions
Article One – Purpose of this Order
This Order determines the responsibilities, organization and functioning of Committees Responsible for conservation and protection of the Environment at Provincial, Kigali City, District, Sector and Cell levels, hereafter referred as “Environment Committees”.Article 2 – Members of Environment Committees
Members of Environment Committees shall be people of integrity, competent in environmental issues, impartial and able to work on a voluntary basis.Chapter II
Responsibilities of Environment Committees
Article 3 – General responsibilities of Environment Committees
In general, Environment Committees shall have the following responsibilities:1°ensuring the implementation of the laws, policies, programmes and plans relating to the protection, conservation and promotion of the environment in Rwanda;2°monitoring issues relating to awareness raising of the population on environment protection, and proper land use;3°ensuring that persons who destroy the environment are pursued by the competent institutions.Every Environment Committee is in charge of overseeing the functioning of the committee below it in hierarchy.Article 4 – Responsibilities of Environment Committee at the Provincial and Kigali City levels
In Province and Kigali City, the Environment Committee is responsible for coordinating activities aimed at conserving and protecting the environment in the Province and Kigali city.Article 5 – Responsibilities of Environment Committee at the District level
At District level, the Environment Committee shall have the following responsibilities:1°to set up strategies for the installation of latrines and ensure proper hygiene in public buildings and places and on main roads;2°to ensure the use of reusable energy and discourage the mismanagement of energy from wood consumption;3°to ensure that protected areas, tourist sites and protected species are properly cared for;4°to ensure monitoring of proper management of forests;5°to analyze the establishment of taxes on hygiene;6°to ensure monitoring of proper land use and management of marshlands and critical ecosystems;7°to ensure monitoring and evaluation of the environmental policies and programmes implementation;8°to follow up any other activities aimed at conserving and protecting the environment as requested by the District Council.Article 6 – Responsibilities of the Environment Committee at the Sector level
At Sector level, the Environment Committee shall have the following responsibilities:1°to ensure and follow up the installation of waste bins, hygiene management in markets, roads/streets and other public places;2°to ensure monitoring of the proper use of spring and wells by households;3°to ensure and monitor the management of tree nurseries;4°to ensure that strategies for fighting soil erosion are being executed;5°ensure monitoring and evaluation of the execution of the environment policies and programmes;6°to follow up any other activities aimed at protecting and conserving the environment as requested by the Sector Council.Article 7 – Responsibilities of the Environment Committee at the Cell level
At Cell level, the Environment Committee in collaboration with the persons in charge of environment and hygiene at the Villages shall have the following responsibilities:1°to ensure monitoring of rain water harvesting and storage at every household;2°to ensure proper hygiene and waste management in at household level;3°to ensure proper use of energy generated from wood consumption by using energy saving cooking stoves called “rondereza”;4°to ensure proper use and management of roads in the Cell;5°to ensure fight against erosion measures and tree planting in the Cell;6°to ensure that all households have properly used latrines;7°to provide directives for conservation and protection of the environment at the Village level;8°to ensure monitoring and evaluation of the environmental policies and programmes implementation;9°to follow up any other activities aimed at conserving and protecting the environment as requested by the Cell Council.Chapter III
Organization of the Environment Committees
Article 8 – Composition of Environmental Committee at the Provincial level
The Environment Committee at the Provincial level shall comprised of the following:1°a person in charge of environment in the Province.2°a representative of the private sector in the Province;3°a person in charge of land use management in the province;4°one expert in environment matters;5°two (2) representatives of non governmental organizations dealing with environment matters who shall be elected by their peers;6°a person in charge of health and hygiene in the Province.Article 9 – Composition of Environmental Committee at the level of Kigali City
The environment committee at the level of Kigali City shall be comprised of the following:1°a person in charge of environment in Kigali City.2°a representative of the National Women Council at the level of Kigali City;3°a representative of the National Youth Council at the level of Kigali city;4°a representative of the private sector in Kigali City;5°a person in charge of land use management in Kigali City;6°one expert in environment matters;7°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development in the Council of Kigali City;8°a representative of non governmental organizations dealing with environment matters who is elected by his/her peers;9°a person in charge of health and hygiene in Kigali City.Article 10 – Composition of the Environment Committee at the District level
The Environment Committee at the District level shall be comprised of the following:1°a person in charge of environment at the District level2°a representative of the National Women Council at the District level;3°a representative of the National Youth Council at the District level;4°a representative of the private sector at the District level;5°a person in charge of land at District level;6°an expert in environment matters;7°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development in the District Council;8°a representative of non governmental organizations dealing with environment matters who is elected by his/her peers;9°a person in charge of hygiene at the District level.Article 11 – Composition of the Environment Committee at the Sector level
The Environment Committee at the Sector level shall be comprised of the following:1°a person in charge of environment at the Sector level;2°a person in charge of hygiene at the Sector level;3°a representative of National Women Council at the Sector level;4°a representative of National Youth Council at the Sector level;5°a representative of the private sector at the Sector level;6°two (2) experts in environment matters designated by the Council of the sector;7°a representative of non government organizations dealing with environment matters elected by his/her peers;8°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development in the Sector council.Article 12 – Composition of the Environment Committee at the Cell level
Environment Committee at Cell level shall be comprised of the following:1°a representative of National Women Council at Cell level;2°a representative of National Youth Council at Cell level;3°a representative of the private sector at Cell level;4°two (2) experts in environment matters approved by the Council of the Cell;5°a representative of non government organizations dealing with environment matters who is elected by his/her peers;6°persons in charge of environment in the Executive Committees of the Villages;7°the persons in charge of social affairs in the Executive Committees of the Villages.Chapter IV
Functioning of the Environment Committees
Article 13 – Leaders of Environment Committees
At each administrative level provided by this Order, the Environment Committee members shall elect among them a President and Vice-President.At each administrative level provided by this Order, the person in charge of environment shall be the Secretary of the Environment Committee.Article 14 – Terms of Environment Committees
Environment Committees shall have a term of three (3) years which may be renewable once.Article 15 – Time and procedure for calling a meeting of the Environment Committees
At the level of Provincial, Kigali city, District and Sector levels, the Environment Committees shall meet once every quarter.At the Cell level the Environment Committee shall meet once every month.However, Environment Committees may also meet any time if it is deemed necessary, for better fulfillment of their responsibilities.The Environment Committees shall convene upon attendance of at least two thirds (2/3) of its members.At each level, the Environment Committee meeting shall be convened by its President or Vice-President in case of President absence.The invitation must be received by the Environment Committee members eight (8) working days before the meeting.Article 16 – Decision making
Decisions of the Environment Committee shall be taken by consensus. In case of failure, the decisions shall be taken on the majority of two thirds (2/3) of the members present.Article 17 – Submission of reports
Each Environment Committee at each level shall submit a report to the Council through the Executive Committee of that particular administrative level and provide a copy to the immediate superior Environment Committee.The Environment Committee at the District level shall provide a copy of the report to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority.Environment Committee reports shall be analyzed and approved by the Council of the relevant administrative level so as to enable implementation of the recommendations in the report.At Sector and Cell levels, the Environment Committees reports shall be transmitted through the Executive Secretary.Article 18 – Reasons for leaving the membership of the Environment Committee
A member of the Environment Committee shall leave office in case of:1°death;2°resignation;3°dismissal by the institution he/she is representing.In case of termination of his/her responsibilities, the Environment Committee member shall be replaced within ninety (90) days of his/her termination. In such, case, the President of the Environment Committee shall notify the Council of that administrative level in writing, about the replacement.Chapter V
Final provisions
Article 19 – Authorities responsible for the implementation of this Order
The Minister of Environment and Lands and the Minister of Local Government are entrusted with the implementation of this Order.Article 20 – Repealing provision
All prior provisions contrary to this Order are hereby repealed.Article 21 – Commencement
This Order shall come into force the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda.History of this document
08 November 2010 this version
Commenced
25 October 2010
Assented to