The Senate on Tuesday, April 14, approved three appointments made by the Cabinet meeting of April 2. The new officials are Richard Niwenshuti, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI), Judith Mbabazi, Deputy Ombudsman in charge of Preventing and Fighting Injustice, and Albert Nkiko, Commissioner of the National Electoral Commission (NEC). ALSO READ: RCI gets new chief executive as CP Badege joins RCS The approvals followed the Senate assessment of their qualifications and competence for the new roles. Richard Niwenshuti Presenting the assessment by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, National Unity and Security, Senator Hadidja Murangwa Ndangiza explained that Niwenshuti meets the requirements for the position. She said the committee reviewed his profile and held discussions with him to assess his readiness for the role. ALAO READ: Senate approves eight new heads of institutions Niwenshuti, born in 1980, is a Rwandan national who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration. His professional background is in project management and trade-related activities. In 2010, he was a technical advisor at the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank. In 2014, he headed a project implementation unit at RDB. In 2019, he headed Single Project Implementation Unit in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and in 2022 he became Permanent Secretary in the same ministry. ALSO READ: Senate approves new Court of Appeal judges “In 2025, he left the ministry and headed Africa Electronic Trade Group. His experience shows he is well versed in trade-related activities,” Ndangiza said. She added that the Senate Committee found a strong link between his experience and the responsibilities of the new role at Rwanda Cooperation Initiative, an institution whose mandate is to promote and share innovative development initiatives through South-South and Triangular Cooperation. During the discussions, Niwenshuti told the committee that his priorities include aligning the institution’s work with national strategies such as NST2 and Vision 2050, and promoting Rwanda’s achievements internationally. “He said he will work with Rwandan embassies abroad to make Rwanda’s activities known,” she noted. “Other priorities include signing collaboration agreements with local institutions to support visitors who come to learn from Rwanda, and using technology to make information about the country more accessible.” His appointment was approved by 21 out of 23 senators present, with two invalid votes. Judith Mbabazi Presenting the report by the Committee on Governance and Human Rights, Senator Alfred Gasana said they analysed the profiles of candidates to ensure they meet legal requirements and have the necessary skills and experience. “The analysis focused on whether the candidates fulfil legal requirements, and whether they have the skills and experience to fit in the positions they were appointed to,” he said. The committee also held discussions with the candidates to further assess their readiness. On the position of Deputy Ombudsman in charge of Preventing and Fighting Injustice, Gasana said the role requires integrity, discretion and the absence of any criminal record related to serious offences, including genocide crimes and related ideology. The committee assessed the profile of Mbabazi, who was recommended for the position, and found her suitable. He said Mbabazi outlined her priorities, including strengthening collaboration with stakeholders, increasing awareness on injustice prevention, especially among the youth, and using technology to improve the handling of injustice cases. “She was urged by the committee to ensure that injustice cases are followed up by institutions without waiting for Ombudsman visits,” he said. “She was also urged to follow up on the operations of the Advisory Council for the Fight Against Injustice and Corruption, and to address the backlog of cases received by the Ombudsman’s office.” Albert Nkiko Regarding the position of NEC Commissioner Albert Nkiko, Senator Gasana noted that candidates must be Rwandan, possess at least a university degree, demonstrate integrity, and have experience in leadership roles. The committee reviewed the profile of Nkiko, born in 1973, who holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and has experience in civic education. He said that Nkiko told the committee that his priorities include strengthening collaboration, promoting a culture of volunteerism in elections, and enhancing civic education among citizens. “The committee urged him to pay attention to the use of technology in electoral activities and to improve voter lists to reduce reliance on attachments,” Gasana said. The committee concluded that both Mbabazi and Nkiko are fit for their respective positions. Their appointments were approved by 22 out of 23 senators present, with one invalid vote.
