An extra-ordinary session of the Upper Chamber of the Parliament Tuesday unanimously passed a bill establishing and operationalising the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

The RDB is a body created last year after the merging of seven service-oriented institutions in the country as a way of enhancing the effectiveness in the country’s service sector.

Following a detailed explanation on the board’s role and functions from the Minister of Trade and Commerce (MINICOM), Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the Senators approved the law governing the board which will soon be published in the National Gazette.

The Senate approved the law which states that the Chief Executive Officer will be appointed through a Presidential Order and will permanently be deputised by the Principle Chief Executive Officer in charge of Business operations and services who is appointed by the Prime Minister.

According to this draft law, the Principle Deputy CEO can take up the roles of the CEO in case of the latter’s absence.

Nsanzabaganwa said that the in bill whose draft had earlier been endorsed by the Cabinet and the Chamber of Deputies, the CEO has a 5-year mandate and can be given another term but cannot exceed two terms in office.

On the other hand the Principle Deputy CEO and other members of the General Directorate serve a 5 year term in office but can also have their contracts renewed depending on the capacity demonstrated.

Currently, the CEO of the institution is Joe Ritchie, an American entrepreneur while his Principle Deputy is the former DG of the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA), Francis Gatare.

The institutions that were merged include RIEPA, the Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN); the Privatization Secretariat; the Rwanda Commercial Registration Services Agency; the Rwanda Information and Technology Authority (RITA); the Centre for Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (CAPMER) and the Human Resource and Institutional Capacity Development Agency (HIDA).

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