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Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, has approved the retirement of 12 Generals and several officers of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).

The retirements were announced in Kigali on Wednesday, August 30, in a statement issued by RDF.

A number of these senior officers played key roles in the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) and the political wing (RPF) during the liberation struggle.

Those retired include Gen. James Kabarebe, Gen. Fred Ibingira, and Lt. Gen
Charles Kayonga and Lt. Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, according to a report published by the New Times.

Kabarebe and Kayonga have previously served as Chief of Defence Staff of RDF, while the other two have been service chiefs previously.

Kabarebe, who also once served as the defence minister, is currently the Senior Presidential Advisor on Defence and Security, while Kamanzi is currently Rwanda’s Ambassador to Russi.

The list of 924 to be discharged also includes five Major generals: Martin Nzaramba, Eric Murokore, Augustin Turagara, Charles Karamba, and Albert Murasira, while the Brigadier generals are Chris Murari, Didace Ndahiro, and Emmanuel Ndahiro.

Murasira is the Minister in Charge of Emergency Management, while Karamba is currently Rwanda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union.

Murokore has been serving as the Regional Reserve Force Commander-Northern; Turagara was the Commandant of the RDF General Headquarters-Kanombe.

The discharged group includes 678 whose contracts ended and 160 medical discharges, according to the statement from RDF.

While sending over 900 home, Kagame who is the Commander-in-Chief of RDF, also made some changes in the army, naming new RDF Division Commanders.

Four divisions are covering the City of Kigali and the four provinces, as well as a separate standby division.

In the changes announced on Tuesday night, Maj Gen Emmy Ruvusha will be the head Commander of 1 Division, which covers the City of Kigali and Eastern Province.