The President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and Commander-in-Chief of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), on Wednesday, commenced abrupt changes in the country’s military force, following the recent trend of coups in Africa.
An official statement posted on X (Twitter), and also published on the website of the Rwanda Defence Force, read that President Kagame had approved the retirement of 12 Military Generals and 1,013 other officers.
The list includes General James Kabarebe, the country’s former Minister of Defence and Chief of Defense Staff currently serving as Kagame’s Special Advisor on Security. There is also General Fred Ibingira, and Lieutenant General Charles Kayonga, amongst others who have served the country for over three decades.
This is coming at a time when Africa is experiencing multiple military coups. There has been a surge in the number of coup actions in Africa.
Between 2020 to 2023, the continent experienced at least seven coups: Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and recently Niger and Gabon.
The statement however, failed to avail any details relating to the sudden retirements of the defence officers.
President Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s fourth and current president has been in power since 22 April 2000, following Pasteur Bizimungu’s resignation on 23 March 2000.
Kagame has spent a total of 23 years in office.
Many people, including analysts, have termed Kagame’s action against the military officers, a “coup prevention strategy”, especially given the timing, and given the duration of his years in power.