Bio-sketch of Dr. Charles MURIGANDE

Dr. Charles MURIGANDE was born on August 15, 1958 in Butare, Rwanda. In 1960 following the civil strife that preceded Rwanda’s independence, MURIGANDE’s family fled to Burundi where he grew up as refugee. He did his primary, secondary and his undergraduate university education in Burundi. He did his graduate and post-graduate studies in Belgium where he obtained in 1986 a Ph.D. in Mathematics (with the Greatest Distinction/Sum Cum Laude), from the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, in Namur.

From 1986 to 1988 he worked as Scientific Advisor to the Director General of the Geographical Institute of Burundi (IGEBU) and was at the same time Head of the Computing Centre of the Institute.

He joined Howard University, Washington D.C., U.S.A. in January 1989 as a Post-doctoral fellow, where he later became an Assistant Professor and Head of the Biostatistics Division of the Howard University Cancer Center also serving the College of Medicine and Allied Health.

Following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda which claimed about one million lives, Dr. Charles MURIGANDE abandoned his academic career at Howard University and went back to Rwanda to contribute to the reconstruction of his country. During the armed struggle waged by the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) against the murderous dictatorial regime of MRND, Dr. MURIGANDE had served as RPF’s Spokesperson in the U.S.A.

Since his return to Rwanda, Dr. Charles MURIGANDE has served in the following positions:

  From September 1994 to August 1995, Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs;

  From September 1995 to March 1997, Minister of Transport and Communications;

  From April 1997 to May 1998, Rector (Vice-Chancellor) of the National University of Rwanda;

  From February 1998 to November 2002, Secretary General of the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF).

  Form November 2002 to March 2008, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

  From March 2008 to July 2009, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.

  On July 26, 2009, Dr. Charles MURIGANDE was appointed Minister of Education, with also Science, Technology and Research under his portfolio.

During his brief academic life, Dr. Charles MURIGANDE published several papers in international peer-reviewed scientific Journals. July 2009