EALA swears in new Rwanda minister to EAC

By Vision Reporter

Rwanda’s new Minister for East African Community Affairs, Valentine Rugwabiza was Wednesday afternoon sworn-in as an Ex-Officio Member of EALA. 

The Oath of Allegiance to the House was administered before the EALA Speaker Margaret Nantongo Zziwa.

The Member took the oath in accordance with Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.

The Rules of Procedure say in part that: “No Member can sit or participate in the proceedings of the House until the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the Treaty is taken”.

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Rwanda's Minister for EAC, Valentine Rugwabiza (centre) is led into the House to take the oath by Abubakar Zein (right) and Patricia Hajabakiga

Rule 6(3) specifically states that “when a Member first attends to take his or her seat other than at the first sitting of a new House, he or she shall be brought to the table by two Members and presented by them to the Speaker who shall then administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance”.

The Minister was ushered into the House by Patricia Hajabakiga and Abubakar Zein. EALA has 45 elected members and seven Ex-Officio members.  

The Ex-Officio members are the ministers of EAC in the Partner States, the EAC Secretary General and the Counsel to the Community.

Rugwabiza was appointed on July 24, 2014 following a cabinet reshuffle in the Republic of Rwanda. She replaces Jacqueline Muhongayire who is also a former elected member of EALA.

Rugwabiza is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board. She is also a former deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since October 2005. She also served as Rwanda’s envoy to the United Nations in Geneva.

Rugwabiza had a long career in the private sector where she occupied senior managerial positions in the private sector, in Rwanda and abroad.