On Friday, August 14, an extraordinary cabinet meeting named four Ambassadors to represent Rwanda in different countries in Africa and Europe.  

The appointed are Zaina Nyiramatama, who becomes the new envoy to Morocco, Olivier Nduhungirehe to The Netherlands, Jean-Pierre Karabaranga to Senegal and Theoneste Mutsindashyaka, who will represent the country in the Republic of Congo.

Below is what you need to know about the newly appointed ambassadors. 

Zaina Nyiramatama

Nyiramatama was appointed Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. She replaced Sheikh Saleh Habimana, who was appointed Rwanda’s first envoy to the Kingdom of Morroco in July 2019. 

Former Mufti Habimana was before Rwanda’s Ambassador to Egypt.

In 2015, Nyiramatama was appointed the Head of the African Union Liaison Office in Chad by the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, with an office and residence in N’Djamena, capital of Chad. 

Nyiramatama also worked as National Children Commission (NCC) Executive Secretary since 2011. 

She took it to Twitter to appreciate the appointment saying she is ready to serve. 

Olivier Nduhungirehe

Nduhungirehe was appointed Rwanda’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Netherlands.

It is not Nduhungirehe's tour as ambassador as he had previously served as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Belgium and before that Deputy Permanent Representative at Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the UN in New York and State Minister in 2017.

Nduhungirehe was State Minister in charge of East African Community Affairs until he was dropped from cabinet by President Kagame on April 9, 2020. 

In a tweet, Nduhungirehe thanked the appointment authority and pledged to leverage his experience and energy to boost relations with the European country.

"I am deeply humbled and grateful to H.E. Paul Kagame for his trust, as he appointed me Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of TheNetherlands. I commit to using my energy and experience in promoting good relations and economic exchanges with NL and other countries of accreditation," he wrote.

Theoneste Mutsindashyaka

The new ambassador the Republic of Congo has bounced back in public service after some years.

He has for the past few years been based in Nairobi where he worked as Executive Secretary for the Regional Centre on Small Arms.

Mutsindashyaka has served as Governor of Eastern Province, Minister of State for Education in charge of Primary and Secondary Education until 2009 and Mayor of the City of Kigali

Prior to this, he served a Director-General in different government ministries. 

Jean-Pierre Karabaranga 

Karabaranga was appointed Ambassador of Rwanda to Senegal. 

He has been Rwanda's envoy to The Netherlands.

Karabaranga also served as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Sports in 2008 and Secretary-General at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in the previous years. 

An avid sportsman, Karabaranga is a former volleyball player in the senior league.