Kagame appoints new Prime Minister

President Paul Kagame on Wednesday appointed Edouard Ngirente as the new Prime Minister, according to a statement from the Office of the President. An economist, Ngirente has been a senior advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank in Washington DC. Ngirente is due to be sworn in at parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Edouard Ngirente is the new Prime Minister of Rwanda. (Courtesy)

President Paul Kagame on Wednesday appointed Edouard Ngirente as the new Prime Minister, according to a statement from the Office of the President.

An economist, Ngirente has been a senior advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank in Washington DC.

Ngirente is due to be sworn in at parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

He previously worked with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, where he was also an advisor.

He replaces Anastase Murekezi who has headed government since July 2014.

President Kagame was on August 18, sworn in to lead the country for the next seven years, and this was two weeks after he was overwhelmingly re-elected into the top office with over 98 per cent of the vote.

Article 116 of the Constitution says that the Prime Minister is appointed within 15 days from the day of the swearing in of the President of the Republic while other cabinet members shall be appointed within 15 days after the appointment of the Prime Minister.

The other cabinet members are also appointed by the President of the Republic after consultation with the Prime Minister, according to the same article.