Rwanda political forum nominates Gasamagera for Senate seat

Rwanda’s National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations (NFPO) has nominated Ambassador Wellars Gasamagera to replace Senator Donatille Mukabalisa, who died on July 30 after an illness.

The nomination was announced at the NFPO General Assembly on Thursday and is subject to approval by the Supreme Court.

If approved, Gasamagera will take one of the four Senate seats allocated to political parties through the NFPO.

Rwanda’s Senate has 26 members. Twelve are elected, eight are appointed by the president, four are nominated through the NFPO and two are elected by higher education institutions.

The other three NFPO-nominated senators are Hadidja Ndangiza Murangwa of the Ideal Democratic Party (PDI), Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Alphonse Nkubana of the Prosperity and Solidarity Party (PSP).

Who is Gasamagera?

Gasamagera served as secretary general of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) from April 2023 to December 2025.

He previously served as Rwanda’s ambassador to Angola and as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to São Tomé and Príncipe.

He was also director general of the Rwanda Management Institute.

Gasamagera served in the Senate from 2003 to 2011, including on the Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Good Governance and the ICT Steering Committee.

He served as prefect of Kigali Rural Province from 1997 to 2001 and later chaired the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR).

He holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Quebec in Canada and a Commonwealth Professional Certificate in Parliamentary Practice and Procedures.