Rwanda’s Paul Kagame also the commander in chief of Rwanda Armed forces reshuffled army and appointed new senior army officers.
The reshuffle news which were announced on the national radio broadcast message on Tuesday’s evening, Maj. Gen. Kagame said Jean Jacques Mupenzi had been promoted and appointed new Rwanda Defence Forces Chief of Staff. In the reshuffles Kagame appointed Aloys Muganga as the the Commander of Mechanized division after promoting him to the rank of Major General.
“RDF press release-appointments and changes within RDF, Ref:RDF/MPR/A/07/02/19 Kigali,09 April 2019. H.E The president and commander in chief of Rwand defense forces (RDF) has made the following appointments and changes within RDF; a. Major General Jean Jacqous Pupenzi is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed army chief of staff (ACOS) b. Lieutenant General Jacques Musemakweli becomes the Reserve Force chief of staff (RFCOS) while c. Major General Aloys Muganga becomes commander of the mechanized division. The appointments and redepolyment takes immediate effect” read the statement.
Gen. Musemakweli has replaced Gen. Fred Ibingira who is reportedly under house arrest with unconfirmed allegations of sympathizing with the rebels based in Uganda and South Africa.
The check ups come up after there is increasing stand off between Uganda and Rwanda over border issues, where Rwanda is accusing Uganda of aiding rebels and giving them sanctuary to plan their missions against the Government of kagame in Kigali.
The Spokesperson of the of the major rebel group Rwanda’s National Liberation Front also a a former soldier Maj Sankara Callixte confirmed that his faction was left with no option but to fight Kigali government led President Paul Kagame, whom they are describeing as Rwanda’s “dictator and murderer”.
During an interview with one of Ugandanz Website reporter Maj Sankara gave reasopns why his rebel group decided to pick up arms against his former commander. He said the kidnap of refugees, harassing of the opposition and lack of freedom of expression are the reasons for their struggle against the Kigali regime in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda near Burundi border.
“MRCD and our FLN we are a revolutionary movement, we are fighting for democracy! Kagame and his junta they are killing, torturing, kidnapping, non-freedom of expression, non-independent media, opposition leaders some of them are in jail for nothing, thousands of Rwandans are refuges in different countries most of them fear to lose their lives,” he said.
Maj Sankara also confirmed with us on Friday that the armed forces of Rwanda and his rebel group were shelled off at Bweyeye area which is heavily forested.
“They have also deployed heavily on the road from Kigali to Ruzizi which connects to the border with DR Congo. We warn people not to use that road,” he said.
According to him many Rwandan would like to have a peaceful life in Kigali or abroad but there are always on the run because of the assassins being sent to finish them off by the Rwandan government.
“Rwanda is in dictatorship and our mission is to liberate our compatriots oppressed by Kagame and his RPF and put in Rwanda a democratic government capable to live in peace,” he said. “12 millions of Rwandans have been taken is hostage by small group of criminals! All the economy of the country, big companies are in the hand of Kagame and RPF,”
However, yesterday during a presser in Kigali, Gen. Kagame downplayed the assertion by the rebels saying they are of less significance as RDF was fully in charge of Rwanda.