Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, 60, has been appointed as Rwanda’s new Chief Justice, one of the highest positions in the country’s judiciary. President Paul Kagame announced her appointment on December 3, following the retirement of Faustin Ntezilyayo, who served as Chief Justice for five years.
Mukantaganzwa, the sixth Chief Justice of Rwanda since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is only the second woman to hold the post, after Aloysie Cyanzayire, who served from 2003 to 2011.
With over 30 years of legal experience, Mukantaganzwa has held numerous prominent positions within Rwanda’s legal and public service sectors. She earned a bachelor’s degree in law from the National University of Rwanda in 1987, followed by a Master’s in Peace Studies from Hekima University College in Nairobi, Kenya. She also holds a diploma in legal practice from the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD).
Mukantaganzwa’s career spans various roles, including serving as an assistant to the Bourgemestre of Nyarugenge (similar to a mayor) before the 1994 genocide. From 1994 to 1998, she was Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. She later worked for UNICEF and contributed to drafting Rwanda’s 2003 Constitution as a commissioner in the Legal and Constitutional Commission.
From 2003 to 2012, Mukantaganzwa served as Executive Secretary of the Gacaca Courts, a traditional judicial system that handled nearly two million cases related to the 1994 Genocide. Prior to her appointment as Chief Justice, she chaired the Rwanda Law Reform Commission, advising the government on legal reforms.
In addition to Mukantaganzwa’s appointment, Kagame named Alphonse Hitiyaremye as Vice President of the Supreme Court (Deputy Chief Justice), succeeding Marie-Thérèse Mukamulisa. Hitiyaremye, a former Supreme Court judge, has held various roles within the government, including as an advisor to the Minister of Justice and Inspector General of Prosecution.
The Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice serve five-year terms, which can be renewed once.