Juvenal Nkusi has come out of retirement emerging one of the two politicians picked Thursday to join the Senate by the Consultative Forum of Political Organisations. Nkusi, who left the Chamber of Parliament last year having served as a lawmaker uninterrupted since 1994, was picked by the Forum along with Salama Uwamulera in elections held in Kigali earlier today. Nkusi, 64, who was the country’s first speaker of parliament after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi before serving as chairperson of the all-powerful Public Accounts Committee, returns to legislature with a wealth of experience and will be one of the most seasoned members of the Third Senate set to be inaugurated next month. Uwamulera is a member of Ideal Democratic Party, while Nkusi is from the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Today’s vote brings to an end a series of senatorial elections that kicked off Monday with the election of 12 politicians picked by local government electoral colleges that represent the people. Also elected to the Senate are two academics picked by tertiary institutions – one from public and the other private institutions of higher learning. The President of the Republic is expected to appoint four other new members of the Upper House. The President and the parties forum pick eight senators and four respectively, but they name the other half a year later to allow for continuity. As such, six of the current senators still have a year left on their mandate. The Senate is comprised of 26 members. While different segments of society are involved in picking senators to ensure inclusiveness and diverse expertise in the Upper House, all members of the Senate represent the country as a whole.
