The newly appointed cabinet features ten newcomers. Below are profiles of the new appointees to Cabinet. Joseph Habineza: Sports and Culture Habineza is returning to his former ministry after resigning in 2011. Prior to his appointment, Habineza was Rwanda’s high commissioner to Nigeria. This was his second time working in Nigeria after working with the Heineken Company, in the ICT department till 2005 when he was first appointed Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture. The minister, who has an ICT background, is popular mostly for his flamboyant lifestyle. Francis Gatare: CEO, Rwanda Development Board and Cabinet Minister. Francis Gatare returns to head Rwanda Development Board where he once served as Principal Deputy CEO. Amongst the offices he has held include, Principal Private Secretary to the President and Chief Economist and Deputy Head of the Strategy and Policy Unit in the President’s Office. He has also previously served as director general of former RIEPA. Francis Kaboneka: Local Government and Social Affairs. Kaboneka has served as an MP since 2003. Before his time in Parliament, Kaboneka was the director for youth and women at the RPF Secretariat. The Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Advanced Certificate of Education holder also served as the Executive Secretary, National Youth Council in 2000. Géraldine Mukeshimana: Agriculture and Animal Resources: Geraldine Mukeshimana is a post-doctoral scientist in plant molecular biology at the BecA-ILRI Hub, a shared agricultural research and biosciences located in Nairobi. She holds both a master’s degree and PhD in plant breeding, genetics, and biotechnology from Michigan State University, and an Agriculture engineering degree from the University of Rwanda’s College of Humanities. Dr Uzziel Ndagijimana: Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning: Prior to his appointment, Dr Ndagijimana was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health. Before joining the ministry, he worked in the higher education sector, having previously served as a lecturer and top administrator at the former SFB and UNR. He holds a PhD, Economics, 1998 (Warsaw University), MSc. Economics (Warsaw School of Economics) Tony Nsanganira: Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture Tony Nsanganira is the former Permanent Secretary in the Agriculture ministry, a position he served in since February this year. He was previously head of agri-business at the Rwanda Development Board. He has also previously worked as the Director of the Export Promotion Department at the former Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA). He is an Agricultural Economist having obtained his first degree and Master’s degree in the Peoples’ Friendship University of Moscow, Russia. Germaine Kamayirese: Minister of State in charge of Energy and Water The 33-year old Kamayirese has been working as a network specialist with Tigo, a local telecommunication company. She studied electro-mechanical engineering at University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology, where she graduated with an honours’ degree in 2005. In 2009, she graduated with a Masters’ degree in Telecommunication management from the same varsity. She is married with three children. Kamayirese worked with RURA as a network specialist. Other new entrants include Olivier Rwamukwaya, the Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Judith Uwizeye, Public Service and Labour; and Patrick Ndimubanzi; State minister in charge of Public Health and Primary Health Care.
