At the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed ministers, President Paul Kagame told them to embrace their new responsibilities while setting an example for young people to not only be followers but leaders.

He officiated the ceremony, on August 24, which saw Sandrine Umutoni, Minister of State for youth, Jeanine Munyeshuli, Minister of State for Public Investment and Resource Mobilisation at the Ministry of Economic Planning and Finance, and Maj. Gen Albert Murasira, Minister of Emergency Management, take oath to office.

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Umutoni previously served as the Imbuto Foundation Director General, Munyeshuli served as Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Global Health Equity, and Murasira was the Minister of Defence before being dropped.

They were appointed on August 22 in a cabinet reshuffle that saw different new appointments and re-appointment.

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Kagame said that the aim was for people to take on responsibilities for themselves, and those whom they lead, but more importantly to work for the country.

He said the appointment of two women, namely Umutoni and Munyeshuli, was done purposefully to give responsibilities to the youth and instil in them a sense of being leaders in different sectors that develop the country.

"In the Ministry of Youth, we had a youthful leader but he is male, so, I wanted us to also have a female leader. I hope that this will help young people to relate more with them, however, this is not through their gender but their work.”

According to Kagame, this will demonstrate and motivate young people to understand that those who should be at the forefront in taking responsibility are not older people but the young ones.

"For young people to be raised and grow in this approach gives us hope for the future that there will be people to follow in our footsteps,” he added.

The Head of State told the new leaders that their work ahead is nothing new given that they held other previous responsibilities, only that they need to build on what has been achieved and deliver more.