Rwandan army fires 1,000 officers in reshuffle

 

Rwandan soldiers stand in formation awaiting orders after being transported to the Central African Republic, on January 19, 2014. [Courtesy US Air Force]

The Rwandan army said several military generals, including a former chief of staff, have retired in a major reshuffle that saw more than 1,000 personnel sacked or pushed into retirement.

President and army commander-in-chief Paul Kagame "approved the retirement" of General Jean Bosco Kazura as well as 1,162 military of various ranks, according to an army statement published Friday.

Kazura, 62, served as Rwanda's Chief of Defence Staff from 2019 to 2023 and was previously a military advisor to Kagame. He also led the United Nations mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, in 2013 and 2014.

Other senior servicemen approved for retirement include brigadier generals John Bagabo, John Bosco Rutikanga, Johnson Hodari and Firmin Bayingana.

The changes, which are not infrequent in Rwanda, come after Kagame met with high-ranking military leaders to "discuss the peace and security priorities of Rwanda", a military source told AFP.

The president accused multiple generals in attendance of "lack of discipline", the source added.

The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on Friday laid off 21 senior officers, including division general Martin Nzaramba.

Nzaramba, 57, was "dismissed for corruption and misappropriation of funds intended for the welfare of soldiers during his time as Director of the Basic Military Training Center", RDF spokesman Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga told online media Igihe.

Rwivanga did not immediately respond to a request for further details.

The Rwandan president in June 2023 dismissed several high-ranking officers over "lack of discipline", after replacing the defence minister, army chief of staff and land forces chief of staff.

That move also saw more than 200 soldiers dismissed.

Rwanda's all-powerful president, who was re-elected in early August for a fourth term, previously described last year's reshuffle as a "normal thing".

Kagame is credited with rebuilding a traumatised nation after the 1994 genocide but is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear.