The Rwandan Senate has approved a new group of senior officials appointed by the Cabinet during its meeting of April 2, 2026, following vetting by relevant parliamentary committees.
The appointments were confirmed Tuesday during a plenary session after senators reviewed reports from committees that found the nominees met all required qualifications.
Under Rwandan law, certain senior officials appointed by the president must be approved by the Senate before taking office.
Those confirmed include Richard Niwenshuti, appointed chief executive of the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI); Judith Mbabazi, appointed deputy ombudsman in charge of preventing and combating injustice; and Albert Nkiko, appointed commissioner at the National Electoral Commission.
Senate committees said all three nominees met the necessary requirements following background and competency checks.
Niwenshuti was reviewed by the Foreign Affairs, Unity and Security Committee, while Mbabazi and Nkiko were assessed by the Governance and Human Rights Committee.
Niwenshuti holds a postgraduate degree and previously worked as a technical advisor at the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group institution, starting in 2010. He has also held senior roles at the Rwanda Development Board and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and served as permanent secretary at the ministry in 2022. Since 2025, he had been leading the Africa Electronic Trade Group.
Senators said his experience in civic education-related work is considered relevant to his new role at the electoral commission.
During hearings, Nkiko said he would focus on promoting civic education and volunteerism in electoral processes, as well as strengthening voter education programs.
Lawmakers also encouraged the electoral commission to increase the use of digital systems to reduce reliance on paper-based voting.
Mbabazi told senators she would prioritize mobilizing anti-corruption and anti-injustice advocates, particularly among young people, and improve the use of technology in handling complaints.
