Kagame naturalises Tanzanian, appoints him Cabinet ministerBy THE CITIZEN | Thursday, February 28 2013 at 09:23
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has appointed a professor of Tanzanian origin, Silas Lwakabamba, as his minister for Infrastructure in Cabinet changes announced Tuesday.
President Kagame reshuffled his Cabinet, bringing in new faces as well as creating new portfolios.
Among the newcomers include Prof Lwakabamba, who originates from Tanzania.
According to information obtained from The Citizen sources in Rwanda, Mr Kagame has been impressed by Prof Lwakabamba's performance in previous posts he has held.
The don was also granted Rwandese nationality.
The paper's source said Rwandese have praised their head of state for putting interests of Rwanda first when appointing Prof Lwakabamba.
"The people here in Kigali have commended the appointment and they praise President Kagame...I have not heard anyone complain on the origin or nationality of the appointed minister," said the source who could not be named.
Born and educated in Tanzania, Prof Lwakabamba trained in engineering at the University of Leeds in the UK. After graduating with a BSc (1971) and a PhD (1975) in Mechanical Engineering, he returned to Tanzania to join the staff of the Faculty of Engineering, which had just started at the University of Dar es Salaam.
He progressed rapidly through the ranks and attained his professorship in 1981, gaining managerial experience along the way. He became Head of Department, Associate Dean, and eventually Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
In 1985, Prof Lwakabamba joined the UN- sponsored African Regional Centre for Engineering Design and Manufacturing based in Nigeria, as a founding Director of Training and Extension Services.
He became the founding Rector of Rwanda's Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in 1997.
In 2006, he was appointed the Rector of the National University of Rwanda, the largest public institution of higher learning in that country, a position he occupied until Tuesday's appointment.
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