From top, left; Former PM Dr. Habumuremyi, for Minister of State Dr. Uwera, Amb. Nyiramatama and Michelle Umurungi are among the new cabinet appointees.
A cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on November 9 appointed former Prime Minister, Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, to the Rwanda Elders Advisory Forum, as a council member, ensuring that the former senior official returns to the leadership fold.
Dr. Habumuremyi was Rwanda’s Prime Minister for 2011 to 2014 and before that he served as the Minister of Education. In 2015, he was appointed to head the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decoration of Honour (CHENO), a position he was removed from following his legal challenges in 2020 and later conviction.
After more than a year in prison, President Kagame granted Dr. Habumuremyi, who served in other different capacities, clemency, leading to his release in October 2021. He was appointed to the Elder’s Council alongside Amb Dieudonné Sebashongore who previously served as Rwanda’s envoy to Belgium, from 2020 to March 2023, and Amb. Zaina Nyiramatama, who was Rwanda’s Ambassador to Morocco from August 2020 to August 2023.
Similarly, the cabinet meeting appointed Michelle Umurungi the Chief Investment Officer at Rwanda Development Board. Until her appointment, she was Deputy Managing Director of the startup hub Norrsken House.
Dr Claudine Uwera, who previously served as the Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, was named Senior Strategic Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, while Maëva Seka Haguma was appointed Deputy Principal Private Secretary in the Office of the President.
In other key appointments, the cabinet appointed a new board for the public broadcaster, Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), chaired by Israel Bimpe, the CEO of Irembo, deputised by Viviane Mukakizima, while other board members include Solange Ayanone, Michael Butera Mgasa, Kivu Ruhorahoza, David Toovey, and Anitha D. Umuhire.
