President Kagame Appoints New Senior Officials in Cabinet Meeting
The Cabinet Meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on July 16, 2025, appointed leaders in various government sectors, including ministries.
Positions appointed included Permanent Secretaries in ministries, sector leaders, and senior secretaries. Some were new appointees, while others were renewed in their roles.
Candy Basomingera was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, replacing Jean François Regis Uwayezu.
Basomingera was previously Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), the national agency promoting conference tourism. She took that role in March 2023.
Before joining RCB, Basomingera worked in the Office of the Government Spokesperson.
She has held various other positions, including leading the communications department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and serving as Director General in charge of Central Africa relations in the same ministry.
From 2019 to 2021, Basomingera contributed to organizing the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Kigali.
Between 2009 and 2010, she worked at the former National AIDS Control Commission.
Outside of politics, Basomingera is one of the founders of the Haute Baso fashion house.
She holds a law degree from Université Saint-Louis in Brussels, Belgium, earned from 1999 to 2003.
She also holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from London Metropolitan University, obtained between 2003 and 2006.
Another appointee by the Cabinet is Dr. Muhammed Semakula, named Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health (MINISANTE), replacing Zachée Iyakaremye.
Dr. Semakula was previously Director of the Department responsible for planning, monitoring, evaluation, and supporting health programs at MINISANTE.
He has also served as a university lecturer at the University of Rwanda, conducting research in statistics, biostatistics, and data science, and mentoring students in these fields.
Dr. Semakula has extensive experience with the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC). From 2020 to 2021, he was part of the team fighting COVID-19, responsible for data analysis.
Between 2017 and 2020, he was an advisor for the national HIV/AIDS program at RBC.
He holds a PhD in Statistics from Hasselt University, Belgium, where he also earned a Master’s degree in Statistics.
He also holds a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Rwanda.
His Master’s degree in Applied Statistics is from the University of Rwanda.
Sebera Antoine was appointed Director General of the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA).
He previously served as Director General in charge of Innovation at the Rwandan Government and has worked at RISA since April 2017.
Sebera has held various roles related to IT governance, consultancy, project management, and investment in Rwanda and South Korea.
He has over 16 years of experience in telecommunications, information technology, the private sector, and education.
Fidele Bingwa was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, replacing Beatrice Cyiza.
Bingwa was previously an advisor at the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB).
He holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Water Quality from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
His Master’s degree was earned in Arkansas, USA, specializing in Chemistry.
Aristarque Ngoga was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Emergency Management.
He was previously the Ministerial Advisor in charge of emergency operations, a position he has held since 2018. Before that, he was an advisor on refugee matters in the same ministry.
From 2015 to 2017, he served as Camp Coordinator at the former Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees.
He holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Rwanda.
Gisèle Umuhumuza, formerly CEO of WASAC Utility Ltd, was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, replacing Fidele Abimana.
Before leading WASAC Utility Ltd, Umuhumuza served as Acting CEO of WASAC Ltd.
She joined WASAC’s senior management in 2017, previously serving as CEO of WASAC’s Board of Directors.
Before joining WASAC, she was the Director of Research at the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA).
Umuhumuza holds a PhD in Water Resources from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, and a Master’s degree in Biology from the University of Rwanda.
She also served as a lecturer at the former Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).
Alphonsine Mirembe was appointed Secretary General of the Chamber of Deputies. Mirembe was Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President from September 2024.
She has served as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and Permanent Secretary in charge of ministerial affairs.
Prudence Biraboneye was appointed Secretary General of the Office of the Prosecutor General. Biraboneye previously worked in the Prosecutor General’s office.
Claudine Dushimimana was appointed Chairperson of the Rwanda Law Reform Commission (RLRC).
Dushimimana is a national-level prosecutor.
Ambassador Jeanine Kambanda was appointed Secretary General of the National Commission for Human Rights.
She served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from 2014 to September 2016.
She was also Secretary General of the Chamber of Deputies until July 2025 and currently serves as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Singapore.
Dr. Asaph Kabasha was appointed Director General of the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC). He is a water engineer with over 12 years of experience in water distribution projects and previously worked at WASAC.
He was Director of Water Planning at the former Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA).
Hortense Mudenge was appointed Director General of the Kigali International Financial Center.
She served as Strategy Director at Rwanda Finance Ltd from July 2023 to July 2025 and as Director of Operations at Rwanda Finance from December 2019 to August 2023.
Mudenge was an independent consultant from January 2016 to December 2019, assisting various organizations with project planning, performance analysis, and development.
She holds a PhD in Business Management from Hult International Business School and a Master’s degree from United States International University.
Valerie Nyirahabineza was appointed Chairperson of the National Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC).
She served as Minister of Gender and Family Promotion from 2003 to 2008 and was a member of the East African Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2017.
Nyirahabineza has led the RDRC since 2020.
She holds a PhD in Gender and Development from the University of Rwanda, earned in 2020.
Francis Kamanzi was appointed Director General of the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA).
After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the National University of Rwanda in 1999, he worked in various positions at the National Bank of Rwanda, including head of the foreign exchange department and head of banking operations.
He left the National Bank to study at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he earned a Master’s degree.
Kamanzi also holds a PhD and Master’s degree in Political Science from Makerere University, Uganda.
He worked for nearly 15 years at Eco-Secure Holdings Ltd, a company promoting sustainable development in Africa, before being appointed to lead RCA. Prior to that, he was Director General of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB).
