Richard Nyirishema has been named Rwanda's new Minister of Sports, replacing Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, who held the position since November 2019.

The announcement, made on August 16, is part of the new cabinet put in place by President Paul Kagame following his inauguration.

Prior to his new role, Nyirishema served as the Vice President in charge of competitions at the Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) since 2016.

He is also a member of the FIBA Zone V Board, where he coordinates regional basketball events.

Nyirishema's expertise extends beyond sports as he has a background in water resources management, having worked as the Senior Water Supply Manager for the USAID Isoko y’Ubuzima Project.

In this capacity, he oversaw water supply initiatives across ten Rwandan districts and managed various donor-funded projects in WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and infrastructure development.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and Environmental Technology from the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), a Diploma in Water Resources and Environment Management from Muroran Institute of Technology in Japan, and a Program Diploma in Project Management from the International Business Management Institute in Germany.