An ad hoc committee set up by the Senate has drawn plans to enhance its coordination of the research on social justice and welfare. The committee chaired by Senator Agnes Kayijire was set up in September last year and is coordinating the research that is being conducted by a group of experts and lecturers from Kigali Institute of Education (KIE). In an interview with Kayijire, she said: “the research intends to realise article nine, paragraph five of the Constitution and would be conducted in 15 districts across the country.” Article nine, bullet five of the Constitution aims at ‘building a State committed to promoting social welfare and establishing appropriate mechanisms for ensuring social justice.’ During the senatorial session of Wednesday, Kayijire’s committee presented a paper on the proceedings of the research and plans to intensify the research. In her presentation, Kayijire said that part of the research is to know the exact interpretation of the constitutional article and how it can be realised. In extending the research, Kiyijire told the August House that the research intends to reach out to the entire nation and the researcher would consider asking mature and old people. Others to be asked include persons with disabilities, vulnerable widows of the 1994 genocide against Tutsis, vulnerable HIV/Aids orphans, old and retired people, former combatants and street children among others. After Kayijire’s presentation the senate came up with a questionnaire that would be used in carrying out the research. After the proceedings, the president of the Senate Dr. Vincent Biruta appreciated the progress of the research and requested that the amendments made in the questionnaire be forwarded to the experts conducting the research. At the end of the research, Kayijire’s committee is expected to present a report to the Senate. Ends
