Rwanda's President Paul Kagame arrives at the African Union Commission (AUC) headquarters during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 15, 2025. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri/File Photo
KIGALI (Reuters) -Rwandan President Paul Kagame has replaced the country's prime minister, naming the deputy governor of the central bank to the role without explaining the decision.
The appointment of Justin Nsengiyumva, a former British government worker who holds a PhD in economics from the University of Leicester, was announced by the office of the government spokesperson in a post on X late on Wednesday.
The post did not say why the incumbent, Edouard Ngirente, was dropped. Ngirente, who had been prime minister since 2017, thanked Kagame on X, but did not elaborate on the reasons for his departure.
"This journey has been deeply enriching," he said.
In Rwanda, the prime minister is the head of government and is responsible for the running of the government's day-to-day operations.
Rwanda last held elections in 2024 when Kagame was re-elected with 99.18% of the vote, extending his near quarter-century in office.
(Reporting by Philbert Girinema; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
