The Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs in the Ministry of Local Government, Christine Nyatanyi has died.

Nyatanyi passed away yesterday at Saint-Luc University Hospital, Brussels in Belgium where she has, for long, been undergoing treatment.

Nyatanyi’s death was announced last evening by the Prime Minister Bernard Makuza.

"She passed away at approximately 6 p.m., yesterday,” Makuza told The New Times, adding that the arrival of the body and funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Reacting to the news of the death, the Minister of Local Government, James Musoni described Nyatanyi’s death as a terrible loss to the Local Government family.

"It is very unfortunate and we will certainly miss her. She was a very knowledgeable person who worked with a lot of passion and patriotism,” Musoni said.

"She worked tirelessly and she would put all her efforts in ensuring that the livelihoods of all Rwandans improved”.

Marie Christine Nyatanyi graduated in 1991 from the Institute of National Economy of Odessa, Ukraine (Former Soviet Union) with a Masters in Industrial planning. She also held a Bachelors degree in Economics from Kharkiv State Economics University attained in 1987.

Nyatanyi occupied varied posts before she was appointed Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs and Community Development in October 2003.

After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, she worked in the Tracing Department of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Goma and Nairobi.

In 1997, she was assigned the role of Project Officer in the Flemish Council for Refugees in Brussels.

In 2008, she received a UN award for public service and accountability for the Ubudehe’ national program.

Ends