Kagame shakes cabinet in a major reshuffle
Dr. Diane Gashumba (left) has been appointed new Health Minister as Min. Musa Fazil was dropped from cabinet with his Internal Security Ministry dropped.
President Paul Kagame yesterday made a major shake-up by appointing five new ministers, state ministers and governors as well as dropping long-serving minister and governors.
Dr. Diane Gashumba recently appointed Minister of Gender and Family Promotion became the new Health Ministry boss replacing Dr. Agnes Binagwaho dropped from the cabinet three months ago.
In the new reshuffle, President Kagame appointed 5 new members to his cabinet including Nyirasafari Esperance, Member of Parliament who was promoted to head the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion. She formerly held positions of Provincial Prosecutor and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice.
Evode Uwizeyimana, former vocal critic of Kagame’s government in the opposition camp who returned home two years ago from Canada, was appointed State Minister for Constitutional and Legal affairs in the Ministry of Justice after deputizing in the Law Reform Commission.
Other appointments include Vincent Munyeshyaka, the then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government rose through the ranks of State Minister for socio-economic development in the same ministry.
Fulgence Nsengiyumva is the new State Minister in charge of Agriculture and Animal Resources taking over from Tony Nsanganira who was dropped from the cabinet after serving two years in this post.
The Ministry of East African Community has been merged with the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to form a new Ministry with dockets of EAC community and Trade headed by Francois Kanimba.
Valentine Rugwabiza lost ministerial post to ambassadorial docket as Rwanda’s representative to United Nations replacing troubled Eugene Richard Gasana who was recently recalled but never reported to Kigali.
The new reshuffle also saw appointment of three new Provincial Governors, dropping Aime Bosenibamwe- the long-serving governor of Northern Province but maintained Southern Province Governor, Alphonse Munyentwari.
Judith Kazayire short-lived Vice- Mayor of the City of Kigali was appointed Governor of Eastern Province replacing Odette Uwamaliya who was appointed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government.
Musabyimana Jean Claude, the newly-elected Mayor of Musanze District who also served as the vice mayor of the district now takes the mantle of Northern Province replacing his former boss.
Marie Rose Mureshyankwano, seasoned teacher and MP from Rutsiro District was appointed Western Province Governor and took over from Cartas Mukandasira who was dropped from the local government post.
Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, long-serving politician lost ministerial docket as Internal Security Minister was scrapped and its missions transferred to various governmental agencies.
Meanwhile, the Defense, Local Government, Infrastructure, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Sports ministries remained intact. Their respective holders have been given another nod by the appointing authority.
The current cabinet is made of 20 Ministers including the CEO of Rwanda Development Board and 10 state ministers. This brings the total number of cabinet members to 30.
