The year 2014 was dominated by major changes in government which saw senior officials dropped and replaced or demoted in one major surprising government reshuffle which took place in July.

There was also a major shakeup in different government institutions, including parliament (both the senate and the chamber of deputies) and parastatals. It all began on July 23 when President Paul Kagame announced a new prime minister in the name of Anastase Murekezi, who was then the minister for labour and public service, replacing Dr Pierre Damien Habumuremyi.

READ: Anastase Murekezi named new premier of Rwanda

The appointment came as a shocker. Mr Habumuremyi was seen as a strong leader who wielded his powers and might with an aura of indispensability while Mr Murekezi was considered a “lukewarm” minister who almost got impeached in December 2010 by legislators.

The removal of Mr Habumuremyi meant that the new premier had to constitute a new government as stipulated by the constitution, causing anxiety, but he did so within 24 hours.

The major reshuffle saw seven ministers dropped. The lucky ones got away with appointments to ambassadorial posts while others settled for low-ranking administrative roles. Still, others were put on the “bench.”

While the president did not explain the changes, sources within the government revealed that those who were dropped had fallen short of the expectations of the appointing authority.

READ: This is why ministers were dropped

Looking back, it can be arguably be said that the sacking of Mr Habumuremyi was the biggest and most shocking of all.
When he was appointed Prime Minister in October 2011, Mr Habumuremyi kicked off his tenure aggressively, pushing government and private entities on service delivery.

He would do impromptu stop-overs, perhaps to catch those “sleeping on the job.” He passed off as a dedicated and hardworking official.

Staunch party member

Though a staunch member of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF)-Inkotanyi party, the former PM remains in the cold. The official, who had served in different high-ranking positions, had since kept a low profile, only recently hitting headlines when he threatened legal action against a local tabloid.

The vernacular newspaper Rushyashya published allegations that Mr Habumuremyi was relieved of his duties over links to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels, which he denied.

Also dropped was Dr Agnes Kalibata despite having received plaudits since her appointment agriculture minister in 2009. She had been credited with turning around the agricultural fortunes of the country and driving Rwanda towards food security.

Dr Kalibata’s reign was not without controversy. In 2011, she came under fire after irregularities were cited in the One-Cow Per Family programme where cows meant for vulnerable families ended up in the hands of government officials.

The same year, it was reported that 795 farmers had been given cows at inflated prices in a mismanaged partnership with Bank Populaire. Fertilizer and other farm implements worth billions of francs meant for farmers which would be stolen and sold off privately or exported to neighbouring countries. The 2012 Auditor General’s report reflected these shortfalls.

Biggest scandal

Earlier this year, the biggest scandal yet hit the ministry after a group of farmers petitioned the government to help them recover their money in a botched Rwf1.4 billion cow purchase deal involving Minagri, Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) and Dutch company N.H. Schaap.

She would be replaced by little-known Dr Gerardine Mukeshimana while her Permanent Secretary, Tony Nsanganira, was elevated to state minister.

Dr Kalibata was appointed deputy vice-chancellor for institutional advancement at the University of Rwanda, a position she held briefly before she went off to head the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra).

Protais Mitali was also dropped as minister for sports and culture and replaced by his popular predecessor Joseph Habineza, who was recalled from ambassadorial duty in Nigeria.

Mr Mitali’s reign was ridded by major sporting scandals, including calling off the construction of the multimillion-dollar Gahanga Sports Complex as well as the poorly performing national football team. The lanky official got off the hook with an ambassadorial appointment to Ethiopia and the African Union (AU).

Minister, deputy changed

At the tumultuous Ministry of Infrastructure, both the minister, Prof Silas Lwakabamba, and his state minister, Emma Francoise Isumbingabo, were changed. The ministry has registered the biggest turnover of ministers in the past 20 years.

Perhaps the pressure had been on Prof Lwakabamba and Mr Isumbingabo to deliver on the country’s energy expectations amid a growing demand for electricity and clean water. In came the all-powerful James Musoni, who was moved from Local Government.

Prof Lwakabamba got away with a transfer to the equally troubled Ministry of Education, in what was perhaps seen as a fitting docket. At Mineduc, he replaced Dr Vicent Biruta. To succeed Mr Musoni at Minaloc was the youthful RPF firebrand Francis Kaboneka.

“The pressure and deadlines with this position were a constant thing as the country aspired to achieve its energy target of 600MW by 2017 but I am sure I gave it my best,” Mr Isumbingabo said as she handed over to Germaine Kamayirese.
She was named ambassador to South Korea.

At the 2014 national leadership retreat, concerns were raised over delayed energy projects, with a number of key projects running behind the schedule. On June 2, while inaugurating the 4MW Giciye Hydro-Power plant, President Kagame rapped his officials for failing to facilitate investors in the energy sector and at the same time decried the slow progress of energy projects.

The poor performance of the then Rwanda Energy, Water and Sanitation agency (EWSA), which was faulted by the Public Accounts Committee for failing to abide to the Auditor-General’s advice, was among the major concerns as the body failed to account for Rwf28 billion.

Did not survive ‘tsunami’

Among those who did not survive the “tsunami” was Stanislas Kamanzi, minister for natural resources since March 2008 and after it was renamed Ministry of Environment and Lands in December 2009.

In May 2011, he retained the docket after it was again renamed Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. At the helm of Minirena, Kamanzi was replaced by fellow Social Democratic Party (PSD) member Dr Biruta. He remains on the bench.

Jacqueline Muhongayire also saw her one-year tenure at the Ministry of East African Community Affairs (Mineac) come to an end. The former East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) member was replaced by diplomat Valentine Rugwabiza. She was later elected to the senate.

Dr Anita Asiimwe, who had fast risen through the ranks — from deputy director-general of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and Head of the Institute of HIV, Disease Prevention and Control (IHDPC) to becoming the Minister of State in charge Public Health and Primary Health Care — was also shown the door.

The youthful public health specialist and strategist, who made a name for herself throgh her efforts in leading the fight against HIV/Aids and overseeing the proper usage of donor funds, was replaced by little-known Patrick Ndimubanzi. Dr Asiimwe was appointed deputy DG at the University Teaching Hospital, a position many saw as a demotion.

Similarly, Dr Mathias Harebamungu was sacked as minister of state for primary and secondary education and replaced by Oliver Rwamukwaya.