Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has appointed and promoted Lt. Gen. Jean-Jacques Mupenzi as the new Army Chief of Staff. He replaced Lt. Gen Jacques Musemakweli.
Before the appointment Mupenzi, who held a rank of Major General was the Commander of the Mechanised Division and had served in different roles, including in peacekeeping missions, particularly the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
According to a statement issued by Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence, Lt. Gen. Musemakweli, is now the Chief of Staff of the Reserve Force.
Lt. Gen Musemakweli takes over from Maj. Gen Aloys Muganga who replaces Mupenzi as Commander of the Mechanised Division.
Gen. Musemakweli replaced Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi as Army Chief of Staff.
Kamanzi is the force commander of The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
The newly appointed service chiefs officially assumed office on Wednesday, according to the ministry’s website.
The handover ceremony that took place at RDF headquarters in Kimihurura was witnessed by RDF top brass including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba and the Air Force Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen Charles Karamba among others.
The Rwandan army chief’s reshuffle closely follows Uganda President Yoweri Museveni nationwide working visits of UPDF Barracks. The tours are aimed at interacting with officers and men over their welfare issues including Housing, Education for their Children, Health facilities at stations and income-generating activities for the wives of soldiers.
