Photo: Eric Miller/WEF

President Paul Kagame (file photo).

President Paul Kagame presided over the swearing in ceremony in Parliament of six new cabinet members following a reshuffle of cabinet.

The new cabinet members include Ambassador Claver Gatete, former Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda who now becomes Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. He swapped positions with John Rwangombwa who now assumes the role of Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda.

Prof. Silas Lwakabamba, former Rector of the National University of Rwanda, becomes Minister of Infrastructure. He replaces Albert Nsengiyumva who is now the State Minister in charge Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the Ministry of Education.

Other new faces include Oda Gasinzigwa who replaces the late Aloysea Inyumba as Minister of Gender and Family Promotion in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Also, Seraphine Mukantabana who replaces Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi is now Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs. Hon. Mukantabana was formerly the leader of the Rwandan Refugee Community in the Republic of the Congo.

The cabinet reshuffle also saw the creation of new portfolios in the Ministries of Health and Natural resources. Dr. Anita Asiimwe becomes Minister of State in charge of Public Health and Primary Healthcare and Evode Imena is now the State Minister in charge of Mining.

President Kagame, speaking after the newly appointed members took their oaths, thanked outgoing cabinet members for their outstanding contributions and challenged the new ministers to work hard and fulfill their obligations in spearheading the country's development. "Our philosophy in Rwanda has always been tackling our problems head on using the few resources we have to achieve a lot."

To be able to achieve all they needed to, President Kagame encouraged cabinet to work together. "When you look back at how far we have come, the past 20 years shows us clearly that Rwanda is unique. We have specific problems and specific ways of solving them. Don't be afraid to stand up for truth, justice and what we believe in," he concluded.