PM Ngirente, 80 new MPs take oath of office #rwanda #RwOT

The ceremony took place at the Parliamentary Building in Kimihurura on Wednesday, August 14, in the presence of various dignitaries.

Prime Minister Dr. Ngirente, reappointed by President Kagame on Tuesday after serving seven years in the position, took his oath during the event. The Head of State is expected to appoint a new Cabinet within the next 15 days, in consultation with Dr. Ngirente.

The newly sworn-in Members of Parliament were recently elected in the general elections held in July. They include 37 deputies from the RPF-Inkotanyi and its allied political parties, five from the Liberal Party (PL), five from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), two from the Ideal Democratic Party (PDI), two from the Green Party, two from PS Imberakuri, and 27 from special categories.

Among the deputies, there are 29 men and 51 women. The Prime Minister last took his oath on July 30, 2017, while the previous Members of the Chamber of Deputies were sworn in on September 19, 2018.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Gertrude Kazarwa from PL, aged 60, was elected as the Speaker of Rwanda's Chamber of Deputies with 73% of the votes, defeating Deputy Pie Nizeyimana, who garnered 5% of the votes.

Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana was elected as Deputy Speaker in charge of Administration and Finance with 77 votes, while Uwineza Beline, who received 79 votes, was elected as Deputy Speaker in charge of Legislative Affairs and Oversight.

Uwineza, who has a background in law, has been a Member of Parliament since 2018 and previously served as the Vice Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Chamber of Deputies.

In his remarks at the event, President Kagame reminded the leaders of their responsibility to work in the interest of Rwandans, urging them to serve the people with dedication.

He emphasized that while perfection might be elusive, continuous improvement and a commitment to excellence should be a priority.

The President also cautioned against corruption and favoritism, urging leaders to serve all Rwandans equally.

'This (corruption and favoritism) is the first war in our politics that we have been fighting for the past thirty years, and we are adding five more years under the mandate that some of us have just been sworn in for,' he said.