Ambassador Wellars Gasamagera has been nominated by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations (NFPO) to replace Senator Donatille Mukabalisa, who passed away following an illness on July 30. This was announced during the NFPO General Assembly on Thursday, September 24. Gasamagera's nomination is subject to Supreme Court approval. If approved, the former Secretary General of RPF-Inkotanyi will occupy one of four seats in the Senate reserved for the NFPO. ALSO READ: Six senators set to complete their terms next week The Rwandan Senate has 26 seats. 12 senators are elected, eight appointed by the President of the Republic, four are nominated by the political parties' forum and another two elected from public and private institutions of higher learning. Three senators nominated by the NFPO currently serving are Hadidja Ndangiza Murangwa the Ideal Democratic Party (PDI), Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Alphonse Nkubana of the Prosperity and Solidarity Party (PSP). ALSO READ: Politicians Habineza, Nkubana nominated for Senate Who is Gasamagera? Gasamagera served as Secretary General of the RPF-Inkotanyi from April 2023 to December 2025. He had previously served as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Angola and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the President and the Republic of Rwanda to the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. ALSO READ: Gasamagera seeks to revamp embattled RIAM He also served as Director General of the Rwanda Management Institute. Between 2003 and 2011, Gasamagera served as a senator and was a member of the Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Good Governance and the ICT Steering Committee. Prior to that, Gasamagera was Prefect of Kigali Rural Province between 1997 and 2001. He has also been a member of several think tanks and chaired the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR). Gasamagera holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Quebec at in Canada, as well as a Commonwealth Professional Certificate in Parliamentary Practice and Procedures.
