A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, August 26, named heads of new security agencies, the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) and National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA).

According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, Lt. Col Francis Ngabo was named CEO of RSA while Col David Kanamugire was appointed CEO of NCSA. Kanamugire has been the director of technology in the Ministry of Defence while Ngabo has been working as the Director in charge of Spectrum and Numbering management at Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authorities, (RURA).

The cabinet also appointed George Kwizera as the space agency’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Kwizera has also been in RURA as the Director of ICT Scarce Resources Management and Management.

In May this year, the government approved a draft law establishing RSA, marking an enormous step towards promoting advancement in earth observation technologies.

The agency, according to the Ministry of ICT and Innovation will among others support prediction and planning in agriculture, environmental monitoring, disaster preparedness, as well as urban planning through the utilization of satellite data and imagery services.

NCSA is mandated to safeguard private and government information and infrastructure against online crimes and cyber-attacks.

In the same meeting, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lynder Nkuranga was appointed as the Director-General of External Intelligence at the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

This position in NISS has been occupied by Anaclet Kalibata.

Nkuranga has been serving as the commissioner of protocol and co-operation in the Rwanda National Police, (RNP).

Similarly, the cabinet appointed Paula Ingabire, ICT and Innovation Minister as the chairperson Centre for Artificial Intelligence Policy and Innovation, with Ali Parsa as the deputy-chairperson.

Other members to this board include Davy Uwizera, Eric Cyaga Ndimubanzi, Alline Kabatende, Moustapha Cisse, Manuela Veloso, and Leonard Mungarulire.