Senior military officers will be impacted by significant security force changes that Rwanda and Cameroon have announced.
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda announced the retirement of hundreds of soldiers at the same time as the country’s security structure was being upgraded by youthful soldiers. Additionally, new generals have been chosen to command army divisions spread across the nation.
Kagame had given his assent for the retirement of twelve generals, eighty-three senior officers, and six junior officers, according to a statement from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). There will also be the retirement of 86 senior non-commissioned officers. As their contracts came to an end, about 678 troops retired, and 160 more were medically dismissed.
Among the retirees are prominent leaders from Rwanda’s 1994 liberation conflict, including Gen. James Kabarebe, Gen. Fred Ibingira, and Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga. Prior to this, both Kabarebe and Kayonga served as the Rwandan army’s chief of defence staff.
On the same day, Kagame appointed new generals to command military divisions and promoted a number of young officers to the rank of colonel. Other retirement include Maj. Gen. Albert Murasira, a former defence minister, and Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, who is currently Rwanda’s ambassador to Russia.
Albert Murasira, who had served in the position since 2018, was replaced as defence minister by Juvenal Marizamunda, who was nominated by Kagame in June.
In addition, according to a decree posted on social media, President Paul Biya of Cameroon, one of the continent’s longest-serving heads of state, made new appointments to the Defence Ministry’s core administrative body.
