President Paul Kagame, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), has appointed Brigadier General Patrick Karuretwa as the new spokesperson of the national army.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the Rwanda Defence Force on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Brig. Gen. Karuretwa replaces Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga, who had served in the position since December 2020, completing nearly six years in office before his recent appointment as Commander of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF).
According to the RDF, Brig. Gen. Karuretwa will take on the spokesperson role while continuing to serve as President of the High Military Court.
Brig. Gen. Karuretwa joined the Rwanda Defence Force in 1992 during the liberation struggle and has since held several senior command, advisory, and diplomatic roles.
Between 2011 and 2016, he served as Security Adviser to the President of the Republic, before later becoming the President’s Private Secretary, a position he held until 2023.
Following his promotion to Brigadier General in November 2021, he was appointed Director of International Military Cooperation within the RDF, where he coordinated defence diplomacy and cooperation with foreign militaries and military attachés accredited to Rwanda.
Earlier in his career, he served as Commander of Military Operations in the Northern Province.
In November 2024, he was appointed President of the High Military Court, assuming office in December the same year.
On the academic front, Brig. Gen. Karuretwa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Rwanda, awarded in 2000, as well as two Master’s degrees from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States, where he studied between 2009 and 2011.
He has also completed advanced military training, including Special Operations courses and senior command and staff programs.
