News Desk
Determined to have firm control of the country’s top military brass to forestall any possible uprising against their decade long government, duo of Africa’s long serving presidents, Presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon and Paul Kegame of Rwanda have carried out sharp changes in their country’s military formations.
President Paul Biya (born Paul Barthélemy Biya’a bi Mvondo; 13 February 1933) ruled Cameroon for 41 years having served as the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982, after previously been Prime Minister from 1975 to 1982 while Rwanda’s Paul Kegame has been in charge as president for 23 years after taking office in April 2000 as the country’s post civil war president
The changes in the county’s military formations may come following the series of military could in the African continent
Africa had for the past three years, witnessed military take over of five countries including Guinea Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and lately Gabon which happened early Wednesday that sacked the president, Ali Bongo thus bringing to an end the over 50 years reign of the Bingo family in Gabon.
In what appeared as panic that gripped the leaders of the African continent, President Paul Kagame retired 12 generals and other officers in the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF).on Wednesday
According to a statement on Wednesday, RDF said Kagame has retired 83 military personnel including 12 generals.
The affected officers were General James Kabarebe, General Fred Ibingira, Lt. Gen Charles Kayonga, Lt Gen Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, Maj Gen Martin Nzaramba, and Major General Eric Murokore.
Others are Major General Augustin Turagara, Major General Charles Karamba, Major General Albert Murasira, Brigadier General Chris Murari, Brigadier General Didace Ndahiro, Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndahiro.
Also affected in the huge military shake up is about 1, 013 military officers who were compulsorily retired by the Kegame led government
In a similar development President Paul Biya of Cameroon has made changes to Cameroon’s Ministry of Defence as he announced reshuffling the Central African country’s defence ministry.
“Decree appointing officials to the Ministry of Defence,” he wrote on his X account formerly known as Twitters
Ninety (90) years old Biya is one of the longest-serving African leaders who grabbed power in a coup d’etat in 1982.
Also, 65-year-old Kagame assumed office in 2000, and changed Rwanda’s constitution in 2015, to allow him to remain president until 2034.
The development came even as the African Union’s Peace and Security Council has fixed to meet on Thursday (today) on the disturbing military coup in Gabon.
According to Al Jazeera, the leaders are looking at how to respond to officers who removed President Ali Bango and installed their own head of state in the latest of a wave of coups in West and Central Africa that regional powers have failed to reverse.
“Now – AU Peace & Security Council meets to consider the situation in Gabon,” the AU body said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
It said the meeting was being chaired by the AU commissioner for political affairs, Bankole Adeoye of Nigeria, and the current holder of the council’s rotating chair, Burundi’s Willy Nyamitwe.
Techrectory.
EZEOCHA NZEH (WITH AGENCY REPORT,)
