BUJUMBURA, Burundi — Burundi’s National Assembly on Friday swore in two newly appointed cabinet ministers during a ceremony held in Bujumbura under the auspices of President Évariste Ndayishimiye, formalizing appointments announced earlier this week.
Alfred Ahingejeje was sworn in as minister of justice, human rights and gender, while Damien Niyonkuru took office as minister of infrastructures, social housing, transport and equipment.
President Ndayishimiye appointed the two officials on Friday, according to a statement from the Office of the President. The appointments were made on the proposal of the prime minister and after consultation with the vice president, and took effect immediately.
Ahingejeje replaces Arthémon Katihabwa at the Justice Ministry, while Niyonkuru succeeds Jean Claude Nzobaneza at the Infrastructure Ministry. Both outgoing ministers were appointed in August 2025 during the formation of the current government, serving for about six months.
“All previous provisions contrary to the present appointments are hereby repealed,” the President’s Office said in its statement, adding that the prime minister has been tasked with implementing the changes.
The swearing-in comes amid a series of cabinet adjustments under President Ndayishimiye, who has overseen multiple reshuffles since taking office in June 2020. While several ministers have held portfolios for extended periods, others have served comparatively short terms.
Among earlier examples is Immaculate Ndabaneze, who served as minister of commerce, transport, industry and tourism for less than one year between 2020 and 2021. The brief tenure of the ministers replaced in the January 2026 reshuffle places them among the shortest-serving members of the current administration.
The government has not publicly provided specific reasons for individual changes, with officials typically describing cabinet adjustments as part of routine executive management.
The latest appointments underscore ongoing changes within Burundi’s executive branch and continued recalibration of leadership in key sectors, including justice and infrastructure.
