Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KIGALI743
2008-10-21 07:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:
ONE NEW MINISTER APPOINTED, SMALL SHUFFLE OF OTHER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0007 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLGB #0743 2950701 ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY ADXOOEC89F8 WSC6168) P 210701Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5704 INFO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0320 RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0419 RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 1231 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2006 RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0558 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0333 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1338 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0592
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000743
C O R R E C T E D COPY
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RW
SUBJECT: ONE NEW MINISTER APPOINTED, SMALL SHUFFLE OF OTHER
SENIOR PERSONNEL
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000743
C O R R E C T E D COPY
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RW
SUBJECT: ONE NEW MINISTER APPOINTED, SMALL SHUFFLE OF OTHER
SENIOR PERSONNEL
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (U) On Sunday, October 19, Radio Rwanda announced the
appointment of Dr. Richard Sezibera, formerly the Special
Envoy for the Great Lakes, as Minister of Health. He took
the place of Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo, who won
election to the Chamber of Deputies in September as a
Social Democratic Party (PSD) member and is now one of two
Deputy Speakers. Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba, formerly
Secretary General in the Ministry of Internal Security,
took Sezibera's place as Great Lakes Special Envoy.
Penelope Kantarama, formerly Western Provincial Governor,
replaced Mutaboba at Internal Security.
2. (U) In other changes, the Minister of State for
Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega, was
transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources as
Minister of State for Environment and Mining. Dr. Agnes
Bingawaho, formerly the head of the National HIV/AIDS
Commission, became Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Health, replacing Caroline Kayonga, who moved to the same
position in the Ministry of Natural Resources. Finally,
Dr. Anita Asiime, formerly head of the Treatment and
Research Aids Center in the Ministry of Health became the
new head of the HIV/AIDS Commission. In announcing these
changes, the Government of Rwanda adopted East African
Community terminology for the senior civil servant position
in the various ministries, "Permanent Secretary" now
replacing "Secretary General."
3. (C) Sezibera has been the point man for the
Rwandan government on all issues relating to regional
integration and relations with the DRC and other
neighboring countries sine 2003. His appointment
to the Ministry of Health is an intriguing one; although he
is a medical doctor, he has not practiced medicine or
worked on health issues since the end of the genocide in
1994 (he served as a physician for the Rwanda Patriotic
Army, now the Rwanda Defense Forces, throughout the war
years). Sezibera has no where near the natural warmth of
his predecessor, who readily engaged the Rwandan public on
controversial issues such as birth control/family planning.
Over the past several months, it has become clear that
Sezibera was increasingly fatigued by the "Sturm und Drang"
of the Great Lakes portfolio.
4. (C) Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba will easily don the
mantel of Special Envoy. He has long experience on
security issues, as well as serving in senior positions
in the Foreign Ministry and as Rwanda's envoy to the
U.S. and the U.N. Despite his appreciation for U.S.
policy considerations, Mutaboba will not bring a new
approach to GOR/DRC relations or be persuaded that a
more accommodating approach with the Congolese will
deliver benefits to Rwanda. He spent many years
in exile in Burundi and the DRC, and held positions
with the Peace Corps in Bukavu, although this does not
seem to affect his thinking vis--vis Rwanda's neighbors.
He is fluent in French and English.
5. (SBU) The other shifts of personnel appear to be
institutional fine-tuning of the careers and
responsibilities of serving technocrats, largely in the
health field.
SIM
C O R R E C T E D COPY
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL RW
SUBJECT: ONE NEW MINISTER APPOINTED, SMALL SHUFFLE OF OTHER
SENIOR PERSONNEL
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (U) On Sunday, October 19, Radio Rwanda announced the
appointment of Dr. Richard Sezibera, formerly the Special
Envoy for the Great Lakes, as Minister of Health. He took
the place of Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo, who won
election to the Chamber of Deputies in September as a
Social Democratic Party (PSD) member and is now one of two
Deputy Speakers. Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba, formerly
Secretary General in the Ministry of Internal Security,
took Sezibera's place as Great Lakes Special Envoy.
Penelope Kantarama, formerly Western Provincial Governor,
replaced Mutaboba at Internal Security.
2. (U) In other changes, the Minister of State for
Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega, was
transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources as
Minister of State for Environment and Mining. Dr. Agnes
Bingawaho, formerly the head of the National HIV/AIDS
Commission, became Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Health, replacing Caroline Kayonga, who moved to the same
position in the Ministry of Natural Resources. Finally,
Dr. Anita Asiime, formerly head of the Treatment and
Research Aids Center in the Ministry of Health became the
new head of the HIV/AIDS Commission. In announcing these
changes, the Government of Rwanda adopted East African
Community terminology for the senior civil servant position
in the various ministries, "Permanent Secretary" now
replacing "Secretary General."
3. (C) Sezibera has been the point man for the
Rwandan government on all issues relating to regional
integration and relations with the DRC and other
neighboring countries sine 2003. His appointment
to the Ministry of Health is an intriguing one; although he
is a medical doctor, he has not practiced medicine or
worked on health issues since the end of the genocide in
1994 (he served as a physician for the Rwanda Patriotic
Army, now the Rwanda Defense Forces, throughout the war
years). Sezibera has no where near the natural warmth of
his predecessor, who readily engaged the Rwandan public on
controversial issues such as birth control/family planning.
Over the past several months, it has become clear that
Sezibera was increasingly fatigued by the "Sturm und Drang"
of the Great Lakes portfolio.
4. (C) Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba will easily don the
mantel of Special Envoy. He has long experience on
security issues, as well as serving in senior positions
in the Foreign Ministry and as Rwanda's envoy to the
U.S. and the U.N. Despite his appreciation for U.S.
policy considerations, Mutaboba will not bring a new
approach to GOR/DRC relations or be persuaded that a
more accommodating approach with the Congolese will
deliver benefits to Rwanda. He spent many years
in exile in Burundi and the DRC, and held positions
with the Peace Corps in Bukavu, although this does not
seem to affect his thinking vis--vis Rwanda's neighbors.
He is fluent in French and English.
5. (SBU) The other shifts of personnel appear to be
institutional fine-tuning of the careers and
responsibilities of serving technocrats, largely in the
health field.
SIM