Rwandan President Paul Kagame has dismissed more than 21 senior and junior officers from the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF). Among those dismissed are Major General Martin Nzaramba and Colonel Dr. Etienne Uwimana. Additionally, contracts of 195 other ranks within the RDF have been revoked, marking a considerable reshuffle within the nation’s military.
Uwimana, who until his dismissal was serving as a medic in charge of the medical imaging department at Rwanda Military Hospital, is among the key figures impacted by this decision. Nzaramba, a former Commandant of the Nasho Basic Military Training Centre, had retired from the military in August 2023. He also held previous roles, including Director of the Gabiro Combat Training Centre in Gatsibo District.
This latest wave of dismissals follows a similar incident in June 2023, when President Kagame fired Major General Alys Muganda, Brigadier General Francis Mutiganda, and over 130 other officers. The June reshuffle was particularly notable for the simultaneous firing of Rwanda’s defense minister and army chief, a rare occurrence in the country. Maj. Gen. Juvénal Marizamunda was appointed as the new defense minister, while Lt. Gen. Mubarakh Muganga took over as the new army chief.
The June changes also saw the top commanders of Rwandan troops deployed in Mozambique being replaced as part of efforts to combat militant Islamists in the region.
The reasons behind these recent dismissals and contract revocations have not been publicly disclosed, leaving many to speculate about the internal dynamics within Rwanda’s military leadership.
