Rwanda’s Cabinet has appointed a new leadership team for the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), aiming to restore confidence in the utility after a period of reported mismanagement and ongoing legal investigations.
The announcement came during a Cabinet meeting held at Village Urugwiro and presided over by President Paul Kagame.
The WASAC Group Ltd Board of Directors will now be chaired by Chew Men Leong, with Dederi Wimana serving as Vice Chair. Other board members include Dr. Jean Pierre Nshimyimana, Albert Munyabugingo, Juliette Kavaruganda, Gemma Maniraruta, and Juliet Gakwerere.
Maxime Marius Mwiseneza has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of WASAC Utility Ltd, taking the helm at the operational arm of the country’s water and sanitation services.
These changes come in the wake of allegations of poor governance, which have seen several former officials face court proceedings. The Nyarugenge Intermediate Court recently provisionally opened cases against Prof. Omar Munyaneza, former CEO of WASAC Group; Gisèle Umuhumuza, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and former head of WASAC Utility; and Dominique Murekezi, former Director of WASAC Development.
Prof. Munyaneza faces charges of abusing his authority for personal gain, making biased decisions, and misappropriating funds. Gisèle Umuhumuza is accused of three counts of abusing power, including misusing public resources. Dominique Murekezi is charged with complicity in exploiting legal authority for personal benefit.
With fresh leadership in place, the government has signaled a push for stronger oversight and accountability in the country’s critical water and sanitation sector.
