Life in and after Cabinet; Former Ministers share their view points

In Africa, being a Cabinet member is a great honour. Being a Minister of this or that Ministry has its challenges and rewards. It’s also rare to hear of a Minister willingly leaving their posts for other challenges. In many African governments, the Ministers just like their Presidents always seek ways of clinging onto office. However, Rwanda seems to be unique even in this aspect. Being a Minister is not a position of power, it is a position of servitude where the Minister is supposed to use the power given to them, to serve. The Sunday Times looked up some of the former Cabinet members to get an insight on life after cabinet. Interestingly, they are not sullen but are still diligently serving their country in their other roles. Rtd.Col Joseph Karemera Rtd.Col Joseph Karemera was in Cabinet for 5years as Health Minister and later on as Minister of Education. He says Cabinet was very demanding because it was during a time of reconstructing the then shattered Rwanda. “It was indeed an uphill task. We had inherited a country where immunization had dropped to 27%,” he reminisces. The Eastern Province lacked schools while the country generally lacked paramedics and qualified staff. During his time in Cabinet, Karemera established Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and many other institutes of higher learning. “Rwanda’s education system was so backward and corrupt. But by the time I left my post as Minister of Education, Rwanda had realised an 80% enrolment in higher education.” Karemera’s highest salary as a minister was Rwf54, 000. He however says that his current workload is heavier than when he was still in Cabinet. “The ministry is always equipped with assistants. This isn’t the case with the senate, we are only 26 senators who have to scrutinize laws and oversee their implementation in the whole country.” The Senator always spares time for a 30 km walk per week. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Good Governance and Political Affairs in the Senate. Hon. Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo is the former Minister of Health. He is currently the Vice Speaker-House of Deputies. “When I was a minister, I would oversee many activities at the same time but with parliament, everything is within the house,” he says. According to Hon. Ntawukuriryayo, though parliament is flexible, it’s complimentary with the Cabinet. This means parliamentarians and the Cabinet work hand in hand in developing the nation. “Sadly, many think parliamentarians go to office at 3:00 pm and leave very early! I leave office at around 9:00 pm.” He says that he always finds time for sports which he did even when he was minister. Though he was in Cabinet for nine years, Ntawukuriryayo has no regrets for not being there anymore. “I am discovering other ways to serve and build my country.” Angelina Muganza Angelina Muganza was the Minister of Gender and Promotion of Women and also a Minister of Labour. She has continued to serve her country ever since she left Cabinet in March 2006. Currently, she is the Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission. “Time management depends on a person. I have always given priority time to serving from the very time I was in Cabinet,” declares Muganza. Muganza says that her biggest task as Gender Minister was mobilising women to realise their potential. “Though it involved going around the country, it was worth it, women became responsible,” she says. As Labour Minister, Muganza had the Employment Policy drafted and approved. With her new job, Muganza is being challenged by the new environment and trying to recruit competent staff, she is happy and dutifully serving. Patricia Hajabakiga In March 2008, Patricia Hajabakiga was removed from her 5 year Ministerial post. The former State Minister in charge of Land and Environment, says that she thinks the executive experience could be one of the fields offering the heaviest workload. “There was a lot of work,” Hajabakiga said in a phone interview, noting that she was tasked with what she calls “important portfolios” that would make her day very busy. She has no sad sentiments while looking back. The current member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) says that the new career gives her more free time to deal with social aspects of life. “I even find time to read some books now,” she said. If however Hajabakiga gives the impression of an all positive figure of life after the cabinet experience, not all former cabinet members get appointed to seemingly higher positions, and thus another aspect of life sets in. Professor Laurent Nkusi Few would fifteen months earlier have predicted seeing Professor Laurent Nkusi in an office of a private university, UNATEK. Nkusi spent eight years as a member of the Rwandan cabinet. Most of this time was in the challenging Ministry of Information, at the same time serving as a visiting lecturer at the National University in Butare. “If there is a time to enter the cabinet, one should already be aware that time will come to get out,” said a reserved-sounding former Minister. Just like his former colleagues, he also subscribes to the idea that Cabinet was a hectic experience. Ends