RUSAGARA MUVUNANKIKO Valens
President Paul Kagame on Friday presided over the graduation ceremony of senior military officers at the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Senior Command and Staff College in Nyakinama, Musanze District, where he awarded certificates to officers who successfully completed advanced leadership training.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Rwanda Defence Force was accompanied by senior government and military officials, including the Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Mubarakh Muganga.
A total of 108 officers graduated from the course, among them 27 officers from friendly and partner countries across Africa and Asia, reflecting Rwanda’s growing military cooperation and regional partnerships.
Addressing the graduates, President Kagame congratulated them on completing the demanding course, noting that they arrived as experienced professionals but are leaving with broader knowledge, sharper strategic awareness, and greater responsibility.
“You arrived here as experienced professionals and are now leaving with broader knowledge, sharper strategic awareness, and greater responsibility,” he said.
The Head of State also paid tribute to the families and friends of the officers, acknowledging the sacrifices they make in supporting military service. He urged the graduates to conduct themselves in ways that honor those sacrifices.
President Kagame further thanked the faculty and staff of the college for their dedication in preparing military leaders capable of upholding the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.
He emphasized that the diverse composition of the graduating class, bringing together officers from Rwanda and allied countries, strengthens military cooperation and regional security.
“The values of the connections you have made here cannot be overstated,” he said, noting that officers who train together build relationships that become invaluable during operations, regional engagements, and times of crisis.
In his address, President Kagame highlighted three essential qualities every military leader must continuously cultivate: courage, judgment, and trust.
According to the President, courage enables leaders to act decisively despite uncertainty and competing pressures. He stressed that military leaders will not always have guarantees, making courage indispensable in decision-making.
He also underlined the importance of sound judgment, saying that as officers assume greater responsibilities, the consequences of their decisions become increasingly significant. Good judgment, he said, is developed through experience, cooperation, humility, and the willingness to learn from mistakes.
Trust, he added, remains the foundation of effective leadership and strong institutions.
President Kagame reminded the graduates that the current reputation and standing of the Rwanda Defence Force were built over many years through dedicated service, discipline, and professionalism. These values, he said, have earned the trust of citizens, partners, and communities where RDF operates.
“That responsibility now extends more directly to you,” he told the graduates.
He further observed that the security environment continues to evolve rapidly, driven by emerging technologies and new threats that demand constant adaptation and continuous learning.
The President urged the officers to recognize that the decisions they make in the future will shape not only military operations but also the culture, standards, and effectiveness of the institutions they lead.
Concluding his remarks, President Kagame called upon the graduates to lead with integrity and maintain a lifelong commitment to learning and improvement.
“The question before you now is not whether you can lead, but how you lead,” he said. “You must lead with integrity and never stop learning and improving.”
