KIGALI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) — Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday appointed a new cabinet after his pick for the prime minister, retaining almost all the old faces and dropping several positions.

Earlier this month, Kagame was handed a third term in office after defeating two other contestants with an overwhelming victory of winning 98.79 percent of the total vote. He will serve a term of seven years.

Kagame picked new Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente to replace Anastase Murekezi, who served as the prime minister since 2014 and is now appointed as the chief ombudsman.
Kagame removed positions such as the minister of natural resources and the minister of youth and ICT, and added a few new members to his cabinet, including the minister of environment and the minister of land and forestry among others.

Kagame also appointed provincial governors besides cabinet members.

Under the country’s constitution, the prime minister should be appointed within 15 days after the new president swears in, and the other cabinet members should be appointed within 15 days after the appointment of the prime minister.

The cabinet is appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister, according to the constitution. Enditem