It is a results-oriented reshuffle, say experts

POLITICAL experts have described the new cabinet appointments as a strategic and timely development. The new cabinet was sworn in yesterday, a day after President Paul Kagame appointed Anastase Murekezi as the country’s new Prime Minister. Dr Jean de la Croix Nkurayija a lecturer of political science at the University of Rwanda said the appointments reflect an effort to fast track the country’s development vision. “He appointed them at the right time. Kagame’s strategy is clearly to fast-track Vision 2020,” Dr Nkurayija told The New Times last evening. His observation was echoed by Dr Venuste Karambizi, also a political science don at the Kigali Independent University. “It’s a results-oriented cabinet. Ministers have been put in their positions to ensure that they deliver efficiently,” Karambizi said. The academics pointed out that President Kagame has a development agenda on which he is determined to deliver and identifies the best team to help achieve results faster. “The government has a political programme to deliver on till 2017. That’s why the President adjusts the Cabinet in order to try and deliver faster,” Karambizi added. Analysts say the new cabinet was picked in line with the mission to fast-track the delivery of the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2) In a short speech at the swear-in ceremony, President Kagame emphasised the need to maintain and build on the positive achievements so far in order to produce much more. The President explained that change of the cabinet is not in any way about dismissing the performance of the outgoing ministers, but a move to ensure that a good job is maintained. “The role of this cabinet will be to continue working together for the benefit of all Rwandans,” he said. New faces in Cabinet include Geraldine Mukeshimana, Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources; Francis Kaboneka, former Member of Parliament who is now the Minister for Local Government; Francis Gatare, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board; and Olivier Rwamukwaya, who is the State Minister in charge of primary and secondary education. Others are; economist Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, State Minister in charge of Economic Planning; Germaine Kamayirese, State Minister for Water and Energy; Tony Nsanganira, State Minister for Agriculture; and Patrick Ndimubanzi, who was appointed State Minister for Primary and Public healthcare. International economics and business law professor, Judith Uwizeye—who until yesterday morning was a lecturer at the University of Rwanda – now leads the Ministry of Public Service and Labour. “I didn’t think that I would ever be a minister but I am glad that I have been entrusted with the job. I know there is restructuring going on in the ministry and I want to make sure that it’s done in full respect of the law and that no one is hurt in the process,” she said in an interview shortly after she was sworn in. The Head of State said that the new leaders need to move swiftly in addressing the problems of citizens and tasked them to focus on increasing productivity after checking the baseline for current achievements. “This new cabinet is about building on the progress achieved to date,” Kagame said, shortly after he thanked the outgoing Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi and the previous cabinet for what he described as a “hard work on which the new cabinet will build”. The new cabinet line-up brought back Joseph Habineza as Minister for Sports and Culture, only three years after he resigned from the cabinet before heading to Nigeria as Rwanda’s High Commissioner. Habineza replaces Mitali The Cabinet shake-up saw several ministers dropped. Agnes Kalibata, former Minister for Agriculture, Stanislas Kamanzi (Natural Resources), Jacqueline Muhongayire (East African Community Affairs), and state ministers Dr Anita Asiimwe (Primary and Public healthcare), Dr Mathias Harebamungu (Primary and Secondary Education) and Emma Françoise Isumbingabo (Energy and Water) were all dropped. One of the longest serving ministers, James Musoni, has been moved from the local government docket to infrastructure, and experienced academic Prof. Silas Lwakabamba has moved from infrastructure to education. Having people like Prof. Lwakabamba, in the Ministry of Education, Dr Ndagijimana at the Ministry of Finance and some popular faces among the youth such as Minister Joseph Habineza are moves that Dr Nkurayija and Dr Venuste Karambizi described as strategic and timely. The academics say that Prof. Lwakabamba, who has been behind so many reforms in the education sector in Rwanda, will help to deliver the government’s programmes in the education sector, while Dr Ndagijimana is likely to do a good job of planning for economic development. As for the Executive Director of the Kigali-based Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR), Eugenia Kayitesi, the new cabinet will enable continuity in the delivery of the country’s development programmes. She said that the cabinet is inclusive, explaining that women and the youth are part of it. “What’s clear is that continuity is assured and even better results can be expected,” she said in an interview. The target of EDPRS 2 is to transform Rwanda into a middle income country and edge the country closer to eradicating poverty by growing the economy at an average 11.5 per cent during its implementation from 2013 to 2018. By the year 2020, the country’s GDP per capita is projected to increase from the current $644 to $1,240. Prime Minister Murekezi, who in his inaugural speech committed to upholding the dignity of all Rwandans and continuing on the path to self-reliance, said in an interview that President Kagame wants the cabinet “to work harder and faster”. “Politicians in Rwanda don’t talk too much. They work more than they talk and we are ready to continue doing that; we have to work faster to deliver on the President’s programme to improve the country’s infrastructure and creating new jobs,” Murekezi said. Many citizens and policymakers, including Juvenal Nkusi who is a veteran Member of Parliament and chairs the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), are hopeful that implementation of government programmes may move a bit faster because of new blood in the cabinet. “Change is good because it brings new things. The new cabinet gives hope for improvement in delivering development and better services to Rwandans,” Nkusi said.

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It is a results-oriented reshuffle, say experts