President Paul Kagame appointed Jean Claude Musabyimana as the new Minister of Local Government, replacing Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, who headed the Ministry since March 2021 – over a year and a half.

Musabyimana was appointed on Thursday, November 10.

"I thank you Your Excellency Paul Kagame for the opportunity given to me to keep serving my country as Minister of Local Government,” Musabyimana wrote on his Twitter page after the appointment.

Before this position, Musabyimana served as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources (MINAGRI).

Aged 50, Musabyimana is married with four children – including three sons and one daughter, he told The New Times.

He has over 15 years of working experience as a Lecturer and local Government official.

Indeed, he has been rising in leadership positions, as the trend shows.

Previous positions

From 2017-2018, Musabyimana served as Permanent Secretary of the then Ministry of Lands and Forestry (MINILAF).

He occupied that position after assuming responsibilities as Governor for the Northern Province in the 2016-2017 period.

Before that, he served as Mayor of Musanze District in 2015-2016; and Deputy Mayor in Charge of Economic Development in the same District in 2014-2015.

Earlier, he held several positions at MINAGRI including Member of Task Force of Irrigation and Mechanisation in Charge of National Irrigation Programs; and Coordinator of Government Funded Irrigation Project (GFI).

Education

Musabyimana holds a Master’s degree in Agriculture Hydrology from the University of Agronomic Sciences and Biological Engineering in Gembloux, Belgium and Bachelors degree in Agriculture Sciences from the former National University of Rwanda (currently University of Rwanda).

For Secondary School, he studied at two schools, namely Groupe Scolaire de la Salle - Byumba in Gicumbi District, and Ecole de Sciences de Musanze (in Musanze District).

Before that, he enrolled in primary school at Ecole Primaire de Butete in Burera District.