Rwanda’s Kagame sacks internal security minister Gen Patrick Nyamvumba

Rwandan President Paul Kagame last evening ordered one of his high-ranking military officers back to Defence headquarters “pending further decision.”

The Rwandan leader relieved Gen Patrick Nyamvumba of his duties as internal security minister, citing “matters of accountability.”

“Today, April 27, the president has removed Gen Nyamvumba from his duties as Minister forInternal Security, owing to matters of accountability under investigation,” Prime Minister Edourd Ngirente said in the brief statement signed on behalf of Kagame.

The 65-word statement did not go into the specifics of the stated accountability issues, but reports show Gen Nyamvumba has been facing investigations over mismanagement of a tender for the refurbishment of Rwanda Military Hospital, Kanombe.

Gen Nyamvumba is a former Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF), a position he held for six years after a tour of duty commanding Rwandan peacekeepers in South Sudan. He was moved from RDF command in November last year to head a revived internal security minister, a docket scrapped in October 2016 when Sheikh Musa FazilHarerimana retired.

Gen Nyamvumba becomes the tenth high profile official Kagame has dismissed from his government in the last 18 months.

Other powerful ministers such as Gen James Kabarebe (Defence) and James Musoni (Infrastructure) are some of the latest officials to be dropped.

Recent sackings by Kagame April 2020

Gen Patrick Nyamvumba (Internal Security) March2020
Amb OlivierNduhungirehe (State for Foreign Affairs) February 2020
Dr Diane Gashumba (Health) February 2020
Isaac Munyakazi (State for Education) February 2020
Evode Uwizeyimana(Justice) December 2019
Seraphine Mukantabana(Demobilisation Chair) November 2019:
Dr Richard Sezibera (ForeignAffairs) March 2018
James Musoni (Infrastructure) October 2018
Gen James Kabarebe (Defence) October 2018
Julienne Uwacu (Sports& Culture)