Paul Kagame follows Paul Biya in shaking up military after Gabon coup
The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has made some major changes in his country’s military following the coup d’etat in the Central African country, Gabon.
This follows a similar move by the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, who for unknown reasons made significant changes in his country’s Ministry of Defence.
A presidential decree dated August 30, 2023, which was signed by Biya, showed a raft of appointments made to the internal and external services of the ministry.
The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, also on the same day (August 30) approved the retirement of key members of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).
A statement by the RDF indicated that the affected persons include two generals, two lieutenant generals, five major generals and three brigadier generals.
“H.E. the President has also approved the retirement of 83 senior officers, 6 junior officers and 86 senior NCOS, 678 end-of-contract and 160 medical discharges,” it added.
About Paul Kagame:
Paul Kagame has been president of Rwanda since 2000, serving his constitutional term before changing the rules via a controversial referendum to allow him run for a third term in 2017. His current term expires in 2024.
Rwanda has routinely been hailed as a model country that rose from the ashes of the 1994 genocide to rebuild what was a fractured society.
Critics have identified the progress and development as a façade to hide the brutal clampdown on dissent be it by political opponents, human rights activists and journalists.
Coups in Africa:
Gabonese soldiers announced in the wee hours of Wednesday, August 30, 2023, that they had seized power in the Central African country.
This follows the military overtake in Niger, which took place just weeks ago (July 26, 2023).
So far, the African Continent has been hit by 10 military overtakes from 2020 to date with the latest victim being the Central African country; Gabon.
There have been seven coups in West African countries, including two in Burkina Faso, one in Guinea, two in Mali, one in Niger and one in Chad.
Two coups in Central Africa, all in Gabon, and one in North Africa, Tunisia.
ghanaweb.com
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