By CHIMPREPORTS
Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, has promoted Chief of Defence Staff, Maj Gen Mubarakh Muganga, to the rank of full General, according to a statement from the Defence Ministry on Wednesday afternoon. The promotion is effective immediately.
Before his appointment as army chief in 2021, Muganga served as APR FC chairman and RDF Division Commander for Eastern Province and Kigali City, holding key command responsibilities.
President Kagame recently promoted thousands of soldiers, including four Brigadier Generals, to the rank of Major General. The newly promoted Major Generals are Vincent Gatama (4th Division Commander covering Southern Province), Ephraim Rurangwa (Commandant of Rwanda Military Hospital), Maj Gen John Bosco Ngiruwonsanga (Commandant of General Headquarters), and Maj Gen Denis Rutaha (Commandant of the RDF Combined Training Centre, Gabiro).
These promotions coincide with heightened security tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over alleged support for rival armed movements in eastern Congo. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of meddling in his country’s affairs by supporting M23 rebels, while Kigali blames Kinshasa for arming the Rwandan genocidal group, FDLR.
The recent promotions of military officers in Rwanda may be seen as part of efforts to boost the armed forces’ morale in preparation for potential conflicts with DRC.
Profile of General MK Mubarakh:
General MK Mubarakh was born in 1967 and was appointed Chief of Defence Staff on June 5, 2023. With over 30 years in the military, he previously served as RDF Army Chief of Staff, 4th Division Commander from 2008-2012, 3rd Division Commander from 2013-2015, and 1st Division Commander from 2016-2021 (also serving as the Armed Forces Shop Board of Directors Chairman).
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and has undergone various military courses, including the Cadet Officer Course in Uganda, Staff Course in Zambia, Defense and Strategic Studies in China, and Leadership Science & Strategic Management in China, among others. Muganga played a significant role in the Rwanda Patriotic Front’s war against the regime of Juvenal Habyarimana.
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