The Rwandan government has appointed a Constitution Review Commission despite an ongoing Supreme Court case seeking to block the process to amend the country’s Constitution to remove presidential term limits.

A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on Wednesday named seven members of the commission that will assist both chambers of the Constitution to review and amend some articles with the focus being article 101 on presidential term limits.

The development came on the same day that the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case filed by the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda seeking to halt the ongoing process to amend the Constitution to remove term limits and thus allow President Kagame to contest again in 2017.

The seven members of the Constitution Review Commission who were subsequently approved by the Senate on Friday are Dr Augustin Iyamuremye (chairperson); Usta Kayitesi (vice chairperson); Evode Uwizeyimana; John Mirenge; Aimable Havugiyaremye; Loyce Bamwine and Beata Mukeshimana.

However, the Green Party says the Supreme Court should put an immediate stop to the amendment process until a verdict on the case is reached.

“Our position is, the ongoing process is against the law, until the court makes a decision. Otherwise we will petition the court to effectively put a stop to these activities until the case is over,” said Frank Habineza, the president of the opposition party.