President Paul Kagame has appointed Justin Nsengiyumva prime minister, replacing Édouard Ngirente without giving a public reason for the shake-up.
Nsengiyumva, until Wednesday a deputy governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, previously worked in the UK civil service and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Leicester.
The government spokesperson’s office announced the move in a post on X late Wednesday.
Ngirente, who led the government since 2017, thanked Kagame on X, calling his tenure “deeply enriching,” but offered no explanation for his exit.
Under Rwanda’s constitution, a new cabinet must be formed within 15 days of a prime minister’s appointment. Kagame was re-elected in 2024 with 99.18% of the vote, extending his nearly quarter-century hold on power.