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Chief of Defence Staff (Rwanda)

Chief of the Defence Staff
Umugaba Mukuru w’Ingabo z’u Rwanda (Kinyarwanda)
Incumbent
Lieutenant-General Mubarak Muganga
since 5 June 2023
Rwanda Defence Force
Reports toMinister of Defence
Appointerthe President
FormationApril 1992
First holderDéogratias Nsabimana
WebsiteOfficial website

The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest-ranked officer in the Rwanda Defence Force and is responsible for maintaining control over the branches of the military.

List of officeholders

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Chief of staff (1992–1994)

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No. Portrait Name
(born–died) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Major general
Déogratias Nsabimana
(1945–1994) 		April 1992 6 April 1994 † 2 years
2 Colonel
Marcel Gatsinzi
(born 1948) 		7 April 1994 17 April 1994 10 days [1]
3 Major general
Augustin Bizimungu
(born 1952) 		17 April 1994 July 1994 2 months [2][3]

Chief of defence staff (1994–present)

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No. Portrait Name
(born–died) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Major general
Sam Kanyemera [rw] 		1994 1998 3–4 years [4]
2 Lieutenant general
Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa
(born 1962) 		1998 2002 3–4 years
3 General
James Kabarebe
(born 1959) 		October 2002 10 April 2010 7 years, 6 months
4 Lieutenant general
Charles Kayonga
(born 1962) 		13 April 2010 23 June 2013 3 years, 83 days [5][6]
5 General
Patrick Nyamvumba
(born 1967) 		23 June 2013 4 November 2019 6 years, 134 days [7][6]
6 General
Jean Bosco Kazura 		4 November 2019 5 June 2023 3 years, 213 days [8]
7 Lieutenant general
Mubarak Muganga
(born 1967) 		5 June 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 234 days [9]

References

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  1. ^ Guichaoua, André (2015). From War to Genocide: Criminal Politics in Rwanda, 1990–1994. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 159, 212. ISBN 9780299298203.
  2. ^ Dallaire, Roméo. "Ch. 11: To Go or To Stay?". Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. pp. 292–293.
  3. ^ Des Forges, Alison (March 1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda – Extending the Genocide → Removing Dissenters. New York: Human Rights Watch. ISBN 1-56432-171-1.
  4. ^ Times Reporter (14 August 2007). "Mukezamfura speaks out on General Kaka". newtimes.co.rw. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  5. ^ "President Kagame at Swearing- in of newly appointed Minister of Defense and Military Chiefs – Kigali, 13 April 2010". Paul Kagame. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Rwanda: Gen. Nyamvumba New Armed Forces Chief". All Africa. The New Times. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Leaders". mod.gov.rw. Retrieved Sep 6, 2019.
  8. ^ Munyaneza, J. (2019) 'General Kazura Replaces General Nyamvumba as Kagame Shakes Up Top Military Brass', The New Times (Kigali), 5 November 2019, <www.newtimes.co.rw/news/gen-kazura-replaces-gen-nyamvumba-kagame-shakes-top-military-brass>
  9. ^ https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/8055/news/security/marizamunda-is-new-defence-minister-as-gen-muganga-becomes-army-chief