From Top, Senator Dushimimana, now Governor Western Province, Tessi Rusagara, Zingiro, Dr. Munyaneza, Gisele Umuhumuza and Rugigana, got new responsibilities.
In the latest shakeup in government institutions and parastatals, President Paul Kagame has appointed new officials to take over key administrative, regulatory and service institutions in what appears to be a major reform in leadership across the board.
Under the new appointments announced September 4 by Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente, on behalf of the Head of State, Lambert Dushimimana becomes the new Governor of the Western Province, replacing François Habitegeko, who was relieved of his duties last week on August 28.
Until his appointment Dushimimana was a Senator in the country’s upper house and previously served as head of the advisory council of Rubavu district. Previously he also served as a Principal State Attorney/Legislative Drafting at the Ministry of Justice and affiliated institutions.
The 52-year-old legislator holds an LLM in International Law from University of Pretoria, South Africa and LLB in Law from University of Rwanda
In the Senate, he has been the Chairperson of Political Affairs and Governance Committee since October 2019. He was also the Head of Legislative Drafting and Translation Department in Rwanda Law Reform Commission from February 2016 to October 2019.
In the same judicial institution, he served as the Division Manager in charge of Law Revision from June 2014 to February 2016. He was the Principle State Attorney in Legislative Drafting in Ministry of Justice from April 2010 to May 2014.
Before that, Sen. Dushimimana was a Lecturer in the School of Law at University of Rwanda from April 2005 to April 2010. He was Chairperson of Rubavu District Council from February 2016 to September 2019. He also served as the Vice Chairperson of WASAC from July 2014 to September 2019.
Tessi Rusagara was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Agaciro Development Fund, taking over from Gilbert Nyatanyi, who has been the CEO of the sovereign wealth fund since October 2020.
Rusagara has been the Managing Director of Kigali Innovation City prior to her appointment. The Stanford University Master’s graduate is also a board member of the Rwanda Capital Markets Authority (CMA). She previously worked with Deloitte Consulting in the US, before returning home.
Armand Zingiro was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Energy Group (REG), replacing Ron Weiss, who has been leading the energy utility since 2017. The Israeli national’s contract had run out but was renewed in May this year. Zingiro has been a Managing Director at the electricity utility.
Dr. Omar Munyaneza was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of WASAC Group, under the reformed structure of the water and sanitation utility, taking over Gisele Umuhumuza, who has been in acting position since 2017.
Dr. Munyaneza, who holds a PhD in Hydrology and Water Resources, has been a Member of Parliament since 2018 and before that served as Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Research and Innovation under School of Engineering at the University of Rwanda.
He is no stranger to WASAC. From April 2017 to September 2018, he served as the Chairperson of WASAC Board of Directors from July 2014 to April 2017 and as a Chairperson of Investment and Technical Committee at the water utility.
Umuhumuza, who joined the Executive management of WASAC in April 2017 as the Deputy CEO, becomes the Managing Director of WASAC (utilities)Ltd under the revised structure.
Among the major changes, Evariste Rugigana becomes the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), replacing Emile Patrick Baganizi who has been Acting Director General of the regulatory body since October 2022.
Rugigana has been a Director of Cabinet at the Office of the Prime Minister since April 2018. He previously served as an Economic Advisor in the same office.
Still in RURA, Dr. Carpophore Ntagungira, a senior Economist with African Development Bank Group was appointed the chairperson of the regulatory board. He previously worked as Chief Country Economist for AfDB in South Africa and as the Principal Country Economist for Guinea, among other positions he has held.
Dr. Carpophore Ntagungira is the new chairperson of RURA regulatory board.
