EngRegional
Kagame shakes up the army? It’s not the first time, nor the last
For
the eleventh time, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) held a send-off ceremony on September 1, to honour the service of military
personnel who reached retirement age and those whose service contracts came to
an end.
As is usual
in Rwanda, the list included Generals and senior officers.
Some
of the retired Generals, whose retirement was approved by President Paul
Kagame, On August 30, played a key role in the liberation struggle and stopping
the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Related: Rwanda's
military retirees leave a legacy of patriotism, dedication to nation
The
retirement wrongly made headlines in different international media, with some insinuating
that African governments who are ‘determined to maintain their power’ have
started to mass retire military officers.
However,
this completely false narrative does not apply in Rwanda where the retirement
of any army officer is nothing out of the ordinary. For the past decade, since 2012, President Kagame has honorably
bid farewell to retiring Generals and senior officers. He will continue to do so.
The
latest retirement was in line with the tradition.
Most
of the retired officers served in the army in different positions for close to
four decades.
The
retirees reconstructed a country that was left in ashes by a Genocidal regime,
in 1994, and they were duly looking forward to a well deserved send-off.
Their
retirement did not come as a surprise. The retiring Generals had known about
the move for more than a month, and were anticipating the day. Gen James
Kabarebe, a Senior Presidential Advisor on Defence and Security, who spoke on
behalf of the retirees, said that serving in the RDF under the leadership of
President Kagame, a commander in chief who has not lost a single battle, was a
great honor.
“Retirement
in RDF is a good move that strengthens our army. It allows us to hand over to
the younger generation who are still strong and hardworking,” he said.
Despite
the narrative being pushed by the country’s, for Rwandans, the retirement of
these gallant liberators is a continuation of a long tradition of passing the
baton to the younger generation. They will continue their contribution to
Rwanda’s transformation through their respective expertise and mentoring the
younger generation.
All
Rwandans owe the retiring Generals and other officers a great debt of gratitude
for helping building a safe, secured country, today and the years to come.
According
to the Gallup Global Law and Order report, Rwanda ranks as the second safest
place in Africa, and the sixth safest country in the world.
The
retiring Generals and others from active military service are not abandoning
the call to serve Rwanda.
“We
are putting away our uniforms, but we will not be far. We can assure you that
we will be ready if anyone tried to disrupt the security of our Rwanda,”
Kabarebe said.
