APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday appointed retired General James Kabarebe, a former senior presidential advisor on defence, as the new state minister in charge of Regional Cooperation.
Retired Gen. Kabarebe who was also the private secretary and aide-de-camp (ADC) of Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame during the liberation struggle (1990-1994) has previously occupied senior positions in the Rwandan army as Minister of Defense and also General Chief of Staff.
Other appointments announced Wednesday are Francis Gatare who was appointed as chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Alphonse Rukaburandekwe who is the new Director General of the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA).
The appointment of retired Gen. Kabarebe comes amid heavy tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which have led to several alleged attacks by Congolese and Rwandan forces on each other’s territory.
Rwanda has said that it ‘will not sit idly by’ if attacked in dispute with neighboring DR Congo.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwanda of “backing” M23 rebels which took control of several towns and villages in the North Kivu province in the past year.
Fighting persists in eastern DRC between Congolese troops and rebels from the M23 group, despite declarations of a ceasefire and troop withdrawals.
CU/abj/APA