Prime Minister's Order governing Environmental Protection Committees and their Members

Citation
Prime Ministers Order 8 of 2021
Date
26 April 2021
Language
English
Type
Legislation
Rwanda

Prime Minister's Order governing Environmental Protection Committees and their Members

Prime Ministers Order 8 of 2021

The Prime Minister;Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda of 2003 revised in 2015, especially in Articles 119, 120, 122 and 176;Pursuant to Law n° 48/2018 of 13/08/2018 on environment, especially in Article 41;On proposal by the Minister of Environment;After consideration and approval by the Cabinet, in its meeting of 14/08/2020;ORDERS:

Chapter One
General provision

Article One – Purpose of this Order

This Order determines the responsibilities, organisation and functioning of environmental protection committees hereafter referred to as “Committees”.It also determines their members.

Chapter II
Responsibilities of Committees

Article 2 – General responsibilities of Committees

General responsibilities of Committees are as follows:1°to ensure the implementation of laws, policies, strategies, programs and action plans relating to climate change and protection, conservation and promotion of the environment;2°to raise awareness of the population on environmental protection, climate change and proper land use;3°to ensure that a person who degrades the environment is pursued by the competent institutions.Every Committee is in charge of overseeing the functioning of the committee at its lower level in hierarchy.

Article 3 – Specific responsibilities of the Committee at City of Kigali level

Responsibilities of the Committee at City of Kigali level are the following:1°to coordinate activities aimed at conserving and protecting the environment as well as combating climate change in the City of Kigali;2°to follow up on environmental laws compliance of developed projects and those being implemented in the City of Kigali.

Article 4 – Specific responsibilities of the Committee at the District level

Specific responsibilities of the Committee at the District level are the following:1°to set up strategies for the installation of latrines and ensuring proper hygiene in public buildings and places and on main roads;2°to follow up the use of renewable energy and discourage the use of wood energy;3°to ensure that protected areas, tourist sites and protected animal and plant species are properly cared for;4°to ensure monitoring of proper management of forests;5°to participate in determination of hygiene and sanitation service fees;6°to ensure monitoring of proper land use and management of marshlands and critical ecosystems;7°to ensure monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the environment and climate change policies and programmes;8°to follow up any other activity aimed at conserving and protecting the environment as well as combating climate change as requested by the District Council.

Article 5 – Specific responsibilities of the Committee at the Sector level

Specific responsibilities of the Committee at the Sector level are the following:1°to ensure and follow up the installation of waste bins, hygiene management in markets and roads;2°to ensure monitoring of the proper use of water springs and wells for households;3°to ensure and monitor the management of tree nurseries;4°to ensure the execution of strategies for fighting soil erosion;5°to ensure monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the environment and climate change policies and programs;6°to follow up any other activity aimed at protecting and conserving the environment as well as combating climate change as requested by the Sector Council.

Article 6 – Specific responsibilities of the Committee at the Cell level

At the Cell level, the Committee, in collaboration with persons in charge of environment and hygiene in villages, has the following responsibilities:1°to ensure monitoring of rain water harvesting and storage at every household;2°to ensure hygiene and waste management in households;3°to encourage the population to use renewable energy other than using wood energy;4°to ensure proper use and appropriate management of roads in the Cell;5°to ensure that measures for tree planting and fighting against erosion are implemented in the Cell;6°to ensure that all households have latrines and use them properly;7°to provide directives for conservation and protection of the environment as well as combating climate change in the Village;8°to ensure monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the environment and climate change policies and programs;9°to follow up any other activity aimed at conserving and protecting the environment as requested by the Cell Council.

Chapter III
Organisation of the Committees

Article 7 – Composition of the Committee at City of Kigali level

The Committee at City of Kigali level is comprised of the following members:1°a public servant in charge of environment in the City of Kigali;2°a public servant in charge of health and hygiene in the City of Kigali;3°a public servant in charge of land use management in the City of Kigali;4°a representative of the National Women Council in the City of Kigali;5°a representative of the National Youth Council in the City of Kigali;6°a representative of the private sector in the City of Kigali;7°an expert in environment or climate change matters designated by the Council of the City of Kigali;8°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development of the Council of the City of Kigali;9°a representative of non-governmental organisations dealing with environment matters elected by his or her peers.

Article 8 – Composition of the Committee at the District level

The Committee at the District level is comprised of the following members:1°a public servant in charge of environment in the District;2°a public servant in charge of hygiene in the District;3°a public servant in charge of land in the District;4°a representative of the National Women Council in the District;5°a representative of the National Youth Council in the District;6°a representative of the private sector in the District elected by his or her peers;7°an expert in environment or climate change matters, designated by the District Council;8°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development of the District Council;9°a representative of non-governmental organizations dealing with environment matters, where applicable, elected by his or her peers.

Article 9 – Composition of the Committee at the Sector level

The Committee at the Sector level is comprised of the following members:1°a public servant in charge of agriculture in the Sector;2°a public servant in charge of hygiene in the Sector;3°a public servant in charge of land management in the Sector;4°a representative of the National Women Council in the Sector;5°a representative of the National Youth Council in the Sector;6°a representative of the private sector in the Sector elected by his or peers;7°two (2) experts in environment or climate change matters, where applicable, designated by the Council of the Sector;8°a representative of the Commission for Economic Development of the Sector Council;9°a representative of non-government organisations dealing with environment matters, where applicable, elected by his or her peers.

Article 10 – Composition of the Committee at the Cell level

The Committee at Cell level is comprised of the following members:1°a representative of the National Women Council in the Cell;2°a representative of the National Youth Council in the Cell;3°a representative of the private sector in the Cell elected by his or her peers;4°two (2) experts in environment and climate change matters, where applicable, designated by the Council of the Cell;5°a representative of non-government organisations dealing with environment matters, where applicable, elected by his or her peers;6°persons in charge of environment in the Executive Committees of the Villages;7°persons in charge of social affairs in the Executive Committees of the Villages.

Chapter IV
Functioning of the Committees

Article 11 – Leaders of the Committees

At each administrative level provided for by this Order, members of the Committee elect among them a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson.At each administrative level provided for by this Order, the public servant in charge of environment is the Secretary of the Committee.

Article 12 – Term of office for elected members of the Committees

The term of office for elected members of the Committees is five (5) years renewable once (1). However, this term of office does not apply to members of the Committee who are public servants.

Article 13 – Time for holding and modalities for convening meetings of the Committees

At City of Kigali, District and Sector levels, meetings of the Committees are held once every quarter.At the Cell level, meetings of the Committees are held once every month.However, meetings of the Committees may be also held whenever necessary, for better fulfilment of the responsibilities of the Committees.Meetings of the Committees convene upon attendance of at least two-thirds (2/3) of their members.At each level, a meeting of the Committee is convened by its Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, in case of the absence of the Chairperson.The invitation is addressed to the Committee members eight (8) working days before the date of the meeting.

Article 14 – Decision making of the Committee

Decisions of the Committee are taken by consensus of members present at the meeting. In case of failure, the decisions are taken on the majority of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present.

Article 15 – Modalities of submission of reports of the Committees

Each Committee at each level has to submit a report to the Council through the Executive Committee of the concerned administrative level and provides a copy to the immediate superior Committee.The Committees at City of Kigali and District levels provide a copy of their reports to the institution in charge of environment conservation.Reports of the Committee are examined and approved by the Council of the concerned administrative level to enable implementation of the recommendations in the reports.At Sector and Cell levels, reports of the Committees are submitted to the Council through the Executive Secretary.

Article 16 – Grounds for loss of membership of the Committee

A member of the Committee loses membership due to any of the following grounds:1°death;2°resignation;3°dismissal by the institution he or she is representing;4°change of the job position;5°expiry of the term of office;6°having been sentenced in a final judgment by a court to a term of imprisonment equal to or higher than six (6) months.In case of loss of membership, the Committee member is replaced within ninety (90) days from the date of his or her loss of membership. In such case, the Chairperson of the Committee notifies the Council of the concerned administrative level in writing, about the replacement.

Chapter V
Final provisions

Article 17 – Authority responsible for the implementation of this Order

The Minister of Environment is entrusted with the implementation of this Order.

Article 18 – Repealing provision

All prior provisions contrary to this Order are repealed.

Article 19 – 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

26 April 2021 this version
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