President Paul Kagame has advised new cabinet ministers who were sworn in yesterday, to work against government bureaucracy and work faster and better to fast-track the country’s development.

He was yesterday speaking at the swearing in ceremony of five new members of the cabinet at Parliament Buildings in Kimihurura.

The new cabinet members were appointed by President Kagame on Tuesday in a cabinet reshuffle, which saw five new faces added to the line up making a total of 31 cabinet members of which 38 per cent are women.

Only the new cabinet members were sworn in yesterday, and these are; Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Espérance Nyirasafari, and four state ministers; Fulgence Nsengiyumva (agriculture), Evode Uwizeyimana (constitutional and legal affairs), Vincent Munyeshyaka (socio-economic development), and Isaac Munyakazi, the new state minister for primary and secondary education.

"Let’s commit to carrying out our responsibilities well and be results oriented to develop our country. We should not allow anything to slow down our progress,” Kagame told the new ministers.

The Head of State reminded all leaders that delivering services to citizens faster is at the centre of the country’s development oriented governance style and urged them to work against traditional government bureaucracy and be results-oriented.

"We always strive to improve our approach in order to deliver faster. Let’s continue to work with Rwandans to deliver the development they deserve,” the President said.

Key changes

Among the key changes introduced in the Tuesday cabinet reshuffle include the creation of two new state minister portfolios; state minister for constitutional and legal affairs and that for socio-economic development, while the ministry for internal security was scrapped as well as the docket of the state minister for mines.

The State Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Evode Uwizeyimana, told journalists shortly after swearing in yesterday that his job will be about ensuring the country’s new laws are in line with what Rwandans want as reflected in the Constitution even as Rwanda increasingly becomes a member of regional economic and political communities.

"We will put efforts into ensuring that our laws respect the constitutional line that Rwandans have given us,” he said.

Uwizeyimana added that he will work to ensure that the country’s laws continue to be business-friendly and tough on grave crimes like human trafficking and cyber-crime.

The new Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Espérance Nyirasafari, told reporters that she wants to contribute in helping families to fight domestic conflicts and further promote women’s rights.

Nyirasafari, who was a Member of Parliament prior to her appointment, has also previously served as the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, and before then, as a national prosecutor.

The recent cabinet reshuffle also saw the Ministry for EAC affairs merged with that of Trade and Industry, which is led by François Kanimba.

Amb. Valentine Rugwabiza, who was until Tuesday the Minister for East African Community affairs, was moved to New York as Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and remained a member of cabinet.

The Ministry of Health has been entrusted to Dr Diane Gashumba who was prior to her appointment the Minister for Gender and Family Promotion.

There was also a change in provincial governors, with Alphonse Munyantwali, the Governor of the Southern Province, transferred to Western Province as Governor, while MP Marie-Rose Mureshyankwano was appointed Governor of the Southern Province.

Jean-Claude Musabyimana, who was until Tuesday the Mayor of Musanze District, was named the Governor of Northern Province, replacing Aimé Bosenibamwe, while Judith Kazayire, who has been City of Kigali’s vice mayor in charge of social affairs since February, has been named the Governor of Eastern Province.

She replaced Odette Uwamariya, who was appointed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government.

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