GAKO, Rwanda – President Paul Kagame on Friday commissioned more than 1,000 officer cadets into the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) at the Rwanda Military Academy in Gako, including his youngest son, Brian Kagame, who recently graduated from the UK’s Sandhurst Military Academy.
Brian, 24, is the last-born of Kagame’s four children with First Lady Jeannette Kagame.
Before joining Sandhurst, he pursued undergraduate studies in international relations and security, reflecting his long-standing interest in defence and strategic affairs.
By joining the RDF, he follows in the footsteps of his elder brother, Capt. Ian Kagame, who was commissioned in 2022 and currently serves in the army’s command structures.
Addressing the graduates, President Kagame warned against complacency and underlined the values expected of Rwanda’s new military leaders.
“No one should think that just because we are making progress, there is room for complacency. We are not where we want to be yet, the journey is still long. There is still a lot of work to do, and it still requires your service and resilience. You, the young people, still have so much to give as we move forward,” he said.
The President said the RDF had been central to Rwanda’s reconstruction and development since the 1994 genocide, and reminded cadets that the uniform symbolises duty to the people, not privilege.
“The Rwanda Defence Force has played a role in building and developing our nation, and continues to do so to this day. By joining this profession, that is what the country expects from each and everyone of you, both now and in the future.”
He added: “As you take on your roles, remember that service to Rwandans is your foremost duty. When you serve Rwandans, the people you come from, your brothers and sisters, you are working for yourself. The future of our country is in your hands. We see your potential, use it to the best of your abilities. We have high expectations of you.”
More than 1,000 cadets from three intakes – a four-year bachelor’s degree programme, a one-year course and a nine-month short course – were awarded the rank of second lieutenant.
Chimpreports