Rwandan President Kagame Sacks Army Boss Gen Nyamvumba

The President of Rwanda Paul Kagame has made yet sweeping changes in the top leadership the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), looking to rely more on younger officers.

In the fresh changes contained in a press release, Gen Jean-Bosco Kazura has been appointed the RDF Chief of Defence Staff replacing Gen Patrick Nyamvumba who has been appointed the minister of internal security.

Gen Nyamvumba who has been dropped from the army hierarchy had served as Chief of Defence Staff since June 2013.

Gen Kazura who was promoted from Major General to full General had been serving as the Commandant of RDF Command and Staff College – Musanze.

This is the second time in two months that Mr Kagame is making changes in the RDF a move seen by observers as an attempt to remove some discontented army Generals from the top leadership.

Just in September (Two Months ago) Kagame made appointments and changes within the RDF, appointing Maj Gen Emmanuel Bayingana as the Air Force Chief of Staff; Brig Gen Vincent Nyakarundi, as head of Defence Intelligence; and Col Andrew Nyamvumba, as the head of Defence Research and Development at the Ministry of Defence.

According to Mr David Himbara, a Rwandan that once served in Kagame’s government, “General Paul Kagame is either arresting his generals or reshuffling them on a continuous basis,” said Mr Himbara on his Medium account.

In the latest changes, Kagame also reappointed Gen Fred Ibingira as new Chief of Staff of the Reserve Force, a position he had held since 2010 before he was recently dropped last November.

Ibingira replaces Lt Gen Jacques Musemakweli who has been appointed the Inspector General of RDF.

In other changes, Maj Gen Innocent Kabandana has been moved from the position of Commander of Special Operations Force to that of Deputy Reserve Force Chief of Staff.

Meanwhile, Brig Didas Ndahiro who has been the Commander of Artillery Division has been appointed the new Commandant of RDF Command and Staff College. He replaces Gen Kazura-the new RDF Chief of Defence Staff.

Brig  Ephrem Rurangwa who has been serving as Chief of Logistics is now the new Commandant of Rwanda Military Academy while Brig James Ruzibiza has been promoted from Colonel and appointed Commander of Engineering Brigade. Ruzibiza had been the Chief  Civil-Military Relations.

Brig Gen James Ruzibiza, who was until yesterday the Chief J9 (Civil-Military Relations), was promoted from Colonel and appointed Commander of Engineering Brigade.

Karusisi Ruki has been elevated from Colonel to Brigadier General and appointed Commander of Special Operations Force, replacing Maj Gen Kabandana.

Brig Gen Ruki was until yesterday Deputy Commander of Special Operations Force.

The Commander-in-Chief also appointed Col Joseph Karegire as Chief J3 (Operations and Training), Col Faustin Kalisa as Chief J1 (Personnel), and Col Adolphe Simbizi as Chief J4 (Logistics).

Col Karegire was until yesterday Commander of Military Police, while Col Kalisa and Col Simbizi were serving as Commander, Engineering Brigade, and Director, Patrimony at the Ministry of Defence, respectively.

Col Jean-Paul Karangwa was named the new Commander of Military Police, replacing Col Karegire, while Patrick Karuretwa was promoted to Colonel up from Lieutenant Colonel. Karuretwa is Principal Private Secretary to the President.

Lt Col Emmanuel Kanobayire was promoted to Colonel and effectively appointed Second in Command of Special Operations Force. He has been serving as a battalion commander in Special Operations Force.

Also promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel is Jules Rwirangira, who was also appointed Commander of Artillery Division.

Lt Col Lausanne Ingabire was named Chief J9. She has been serving as Director of Gender in J9.

Also promoted is Regis Rwagasana Sankara who has been elevated to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel up from Major, three weeks after he emerged the best student in the latest cohort of graduates of the RDF Command and Staff College – Musanze.

The new changes and deployments took immediate effect, according to the statement.