IN, L-R: Prof. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, Evode Uwizeyimana, Alfred Gasana and Dr. Valentine Uwamariya
President Paul Kagame has appointed four senators to the Upper House, replacing some whose terms have expired, while others have been reappointed for a second term.
The newly appointed senators are Prof. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, Evode Uwizeyimana (returning), Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, and Alfred Gasana — both Uwamariya and Gasana are former ministers of Education and Internal Security, respectively.
Uwizeyimana and Dusingizemungu will serve a second term, having first been appointed in 2020. The new appointees replace outgoing senators André Twahirwa and Epiphanie Kanziza, whose terms have ended.
OUT: Epiphanie Kanziza and André Twahirwa
Under the Rwandan Constitution, the President has the authority to appoint up to eight of the 26 senators who make up the Senate. Other members are elected to represent various regions and categories, including political organizations and academia.
A senator in Rwanda can serve a 5-year term which is renewable once.
PENDING, L-R: Donatille Mukabalisa, Soline Nyirahabimana, Usta Kaitesi and Kalinda François-Xavier
However, the fate of four other presidential appointees remains pending. These include Usta Kaitesi, former CEO of the Rwanda Governance Board; Soline Nyirahabimana, former Minister of Gender and Family Promotion; and Donatille Mukabalisa, former Speaker of Parliament and Kalinda François-Xavier (the current President of the Senate).
The Senate has particular responsibilities of monitoring the application of fundamental principles, monitoring the functioning of political organizations, approving the appointment of Officials and providing opinions on the State finance bill.
