The recent cabinet meeting of 29th July 2019 appointed Mrs. NYINAWAGAGA Claudine Marie Solange as the Director General of the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), replacing Mrs. NKUNDA Laetitia who has been serving the institution from 2008 to 2019. Following the provisions of Rwanda’s Constitution, in its article 86 on Powers of the Senate to approve the appointment of officials, the new LODA boss was approved by the Senate on 5th August 2019.

The handover ceremony took place on this Tuesday 6th August 2019 at LODA headquarters, Kacyiru under the oversight of Professor SHYAKA Anastase, Minister of Local Government (MINALOC). Mrs. NYINAWAGAGA officially takes over the daily management of LODA, a public institution mandated to contribute to the capacity building of the population and decentralized entities by mobilizing funding to finance the socio-economic development of decentralized entities and reduction of extreme poverty in Rwanda.

In her farewell address to LODA staff and MINALOC as supervisory organ, Mrs. NKUNDA recognized everyone’s support and smooth collaboration towards the fulfillment of LODA’s mission. “I am profoundly thankful to God for enabling me to better serve LODA over the last eleven years, and I feel grateful to the President of the Republic for the trust bestowed upon me. I am proud to have met the standards of clean audit on financial statements over the recent years thanks to you all”, she said.   

Mrs. NYINAWAGAGA, in her turn, thanked the President of the Republic for entrusting her to contribute to the country’s vision towards the attainment of Rwanda’s resilient people. “I am entirely committed and I pledge collaboration and team work”, she said. The new DG lauded her predecessor’s work and leadership style.

In his ad hoc address, Professor SHYAKA Anastase, Minister of Local Government, recognized Mrs NKUNDA’s paramount achievements at LODA. He appreciated her result-driven spirit, devotion, and integrity as proved by her new appointment by the President of the Republic. Minister SHYAKA reiterated LODA’s tough mission – extreme poverty reduction & local economic development – comparable to the backbone of local administrative entities and the country’s vision at large. He equally congratulated the incoming DG and promised full support to make her succeed in her new responsibilities.    

Mrs NYINAWAGAGA earlier served as Mayor of Gasabo District from 2006 to 2009, and she was the Country Director of SOS – Rwanda from 2017 to 2018. Until recently, she has been working as Country Director of Hope & Homes for Children – Rwanda.