Rwandan President Paul Kagame Appoints Economist Justin Nsengiyumva as New Prime Minister.
Appointment
On 24 July 2025, Rwandan President Paul Kagame appointed Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva as Rwanda’s new Prime Minister, replacing Édouard Ngirente, who had held the position since 2017. The appointment was announced publicly via Rwanda’s government spokesperson’s office on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
- Justin Nsengiyumva, who previously served as Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda since February 2025, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Leicester and brings over two decades of experience in economic policy and public administration.
- Before joining the central bank, Nsengiyumva held senior government roles in Rwanda’s ministries—he served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, playing a key role in the country’s English-language transition in schools and economic policy reforms.
- One notable aspect of his biography is a past corruption conviction during his tenure as permanent secretary in 2008. He was later pardoned by President Kagame in March 2023 alongside over 380 other individuals, according to state media.
Main Point :- (i) Ngirente, who served as Prime Minister since 2017, expressed his gratitude on X, calling his tenure “deeply enriching.” Under Rwanda’s constitutional provisions, appointing a new Prime Minister triggers the resignation of the entire cabinet, mandating the formation of a new cabinet within 15 days.
(ii) Shortly after his appointment, Nsengiyumva met with President Kagame on 23 July 2025 at Village Urugwiro to discuss national priorities, including Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation Phase 2 (NST2), development objectives, and governance reforms for the coming term.
(iii) Nsengiyumva inherits NST2, Rwanda’s five-year socioeconomic blueprint (2024–2029), which aims to raise GDP per capita from USD 1,040 (2023) to USD 1,369, expand private investment, create 1.25 million jobs, boost agricultural output, and ensure universal access to clean water, health, and education services.
About Rwanda
President : Paul Kagame
Capital : Kigali
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