Rwandan President Reshuffles Top Military Officers

Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame has appointed new military and intelligence chiefs in a major reshuffle.

The president appointed Major General, Juvénal Marizamunda as the new defence minister, replacing Major General,  Albert Murasira who was in the post since 2018.

A new army chief, Lieutenant General, Mubarakh Muganga, is taking over from General, Jean Bosco Kazura who ran the Rwanda Defence Force, RDF since November 2019.

Report says a reshuffle in which a defence minister and army chief are fired at the same time is not common in Rwanda.

No reasons have been given for the reshuffle. In previous changes to the upper echelons of the military, Mr. Kagame would at times publicly hint at the reason.

In the Monday night reshuffle, Mr. Kagame also appointed a new army chief of staff (land forces) as well as head of military intelligence.

In another move, he changed the top commanders of Rwandan troops deployed in Mozambique to help fight militant Islamists.

BBC/Christopher Ojilere