Disturbed by the rising wave of coups on the continent, African countries have started reshuffling their military and taking measures to avert it.
With Gabon coup leaders saying yesterday that General Brice Oligui Nguema would be sworn in as “transitional president” on Monday at the constitutional court, African leaders were working on a response to officers in Gabon who ousted President Ali Bongo and installed Nguema as head of state.
Gabon is the latest African country to be struck by coup after Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad and Sudan.
Rwanda retires 12 generals, Cameroon reshuffles military.
Concerned over the coup scare, the Rwandan and Cameroonian governments have reshuffled their military in what is believed to be a reaction to the recent coups in Niger and Gabon.
According to a Rwandan national newspaper, News Times, the government approved the retirement of 12 Generals and several officers.
The publication stated that the retirements were announced on Wednesday, August 30, in a statement issued by Rwanda Defence Force.
Those retired included two four-star generals, James Kabarebe and Fred Ibingira, two three-star generals, Charles Kayonga and Frank Mushyo Kamanzi.
Kabarebe and Kayonga had previously served as Chief of Defence Staff of RDF, while the other two were service chiefs.
The statement read: “The President has also approved the retirement of 83 senior officers, six junior officers and 86 senior non-commissioned officers, 678 whose contracts ended and 160 medical discharges.”
Cameroon too
In Cameroon, President Paul Biya also reshuffled the military, with new appointments.
This was contained in a statement signed by Biya, that is being circulated on X, formerly known as Twitter. The statement was written in French, the country’s official language of communication.
