Nation takes stock of judicial reforms

Premier Makuza (R) greets a foreign delegate at the conference yesterday, while Minister Karugarama looks on.

NYARUGENGE - An international conference on the impact of the country’s judicial reforms opened yesterday at Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali. The three-day conference was called to take stock of judicial reforms for further improvement.
The guest of honour, Prime Minister Bernard Makuza, underscored the importance of the reforms and the conference. He said that the past judicial system suffered from the absence of qualified personnel, violation of the principle of independent judiciary, out-dated laws and lack of willingness to modernise.
He said the final blow came in 1994 when some magistrates were killed, while and others participated in the Genocide. Participants are identifying successful areas and the challenges that need to be urgently addressed.
“In 1994, the country was affected by the Genocide, all infrastructure of governance were destroyed and this was not limited to institutions normally charged with the execution of Government projects but it also included the judiciary,” Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama told participants.
The conference is the third of its kind following the ones held in 2001 and 2002. [more] http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13564&article=7164