Dean of foreign diplomatic missions in Rwanda replaced

Richard Kabonero was posted to Tanzania in the new shake-up of ambassadors.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Oliver Wonekha, Uganda’s ambassador to Rwanda replacing Richard Kabonero who held that ambassadorial post for more than 10 years.

Ambassador Kabonero a career diplomat was sent to Tanzania. The outgoing dean of foreign diplomatic missions in Rwanda, became the High Commissioner of Uganda to Rwanda since 2006, where he was also accredited to Burundi for 5 years.

The new ambassador to Rwanda was posted to the United States of America in 2013, following her appointment in 2012.

The 66 year-old lady became the Member of Parliament successively in Mbale and Bududa Districts as of 2001 the post she lost in 2011 following the defeat in the parliamentary elections.

Oliver Wonekha served in the coffee industry for more than 30 years before engaging in politics. She has under her belt the accolade of the establishment of Uganda saving and credit cooperative society according to the Uganda’s embassy to Washington website.

During her diplomatic mission in the United States of America (USA), she fought tooth and nail to introduce a common Eastern African tourist visa along Rwanda and Kenya with aim to woo more tourists from there and thus scaling up tourism revenues.

The list of 34 ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions was sent to the parliament to get the legislature’s nod. This shake-up came on the heels of a major reshuffle in the high command of military and other security agencies.

Source: Rwanda eye