Rwanda is the second African country that has made significant changes to its security forces, following the military coup that led to the removal of Gabonese President Ali Bongo on Wednesday.
Also reacting to the Gabon coup was Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, who is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. A few hours after the coup, President Biya made a decree public on social media that included new appointments at the core administrative unit of the Defence Ministry.
Biya has been the President of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. Prior to assuming the presidency, he served as Prime Minister from 1975 to 1982.
Kagame reacts to the Gabon coup
Similarly, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda retired 678 soldiers whose contracts had expired and released 160 others on medical grounds. Additionally, he promoted several new soldiers within the country’s security force.
According to a report by Africanews, the development has had an impact on senior military personnel.
The President has also nominated new generals to command army divisions stationed throughout the country.
The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has announced that President Kagame has approved the retirement of twelve generals, eighty-three senior officers, and six junior officers. According to the statement, he also approved the retirement of 86 senior non-commissioned officers.
Earlier that day, Kagame promoted several young officers to the esteemed rank of colonel and handpicked new generals to assume leadership positions in various military divisions.
According to the report, several individuals who were part of the old guard and fought in Rwanda’s liberation war in 1994, including Gen. James Kabarebe, Gen. Fred Ibingira, and Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga, have resigned.
Kabarebe and Kayonga have both previously held the position of Chief of Defence Staff in the Rwandan Army.
Among those who retired were Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, who served as Rwanda’s ambassador to Russia, and Maj. Gen. Albert Murasira, a former defence minister.
In June, Kagame appointed Juvenal Marizamunda as the defence minister, replacing Albert Murasira, who had been in the position since 2018.
President Kagame has held office since April 2000. After Kagame was re-elected for a seventh term in 2017, Human Rights Watch revealed evidence of election irregularities. These irregularities included instances where voters were coerced to write their ballots in full view and where votes were cast for electors who had not even shown up.
Coups in Africa since 2020
Africa has experienced a total of eight coups since August 2020, with the most recent one taking place in Gabon on Wednesday.
On July 26, 2023, the military of the Niger Republic announced the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum from office.
On August 10, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced its plan to deploy a regional force with the objective of “restoring constitutional order.” ECOWAS emphasised its commitment to resolving the situation through diplomatic means.
The military anticipates a maximum transition period of “three years” before transferring authority to civilians.
Burkina Faso experienced two coups within a span of eight months. On January 24, 2022, the military overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. In February, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was appointed as his successor.
On September 30, the military dismissed Damiba. Following this, Captain Ibrahim Traoré assumed the role of transitional president until the upcoming presidential election in July 2024.
Soldiers under the command of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane removed the transitional civilian authorities on October 25, 2021. These authorities were originally tasked with guiding the country towards democracy after the 30-year rule of Omar al-Bashir, which was overthrown in 2019.
Since April 15, 2023, a significant number of individuals have lost their lives in the country due to a power struggle between General Burhane and his former subordinate, Mohamed Hamdane Daglo.
On September 5, 2021, a military coup overthrew President Alpha Condé of Guinea. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya assumed the presidency on October 1st.
The military has made a commitment to reinstate the position for elected civilians by the end of 2024.
In the span of nine months, Mali experienced two coups. The military overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta on August 18, 2020, which led to the installation of a transitional government in October.
On May 24, 2021, the military detained the president, leading to the installation of Colonel Assimi Gota as the transitional president in June.
The junta has made a commitment to relinquish power to the citizens following the elections scheduled for February 2024.
