Rwanda Defence Force Senior Command and Staff Course (RDFCSC) 06 17/18 officially opened on 17 July 2017 and was officially closed on 8 June 2018. Like the previous courses, its mission remained the same, namely to develop officers’ intellectual and professional competences in the command and control of the defense forces as well as conducting research in defense and security issues in order to respond effectively to the challenges of the complex and dynamic operating environment”. This is being so far successfully done and RDFCSC’s graduation ceremony took place on the date mentioned above.

The SCSC 06 is composed of 45 Student Officers of the ranks of Major - Lt Colonel. They were drawn 2 each from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia; and one each from the Ghana, Nigeria, Czech Republic and Senegal. The rest are 29 from the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) and 2 from Rwanda National Police (RNP).

The graduation ceremony which was composed of the awarding of the MA, conferment of the ’psc’ symbol to graduating officers, the awarding of best performers of the course and awarding dagger (psc+) to qualifying members of the faculty, was presided over by Honourable Minister of Defence, Gen James Kabarebe, on behalf of H.E Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda and Commander-in-Chief of Rwanda Defence Force.

The UR Vice Chancellor, Professor Phillip Cotton, congratulated those who had met the University requirements for the awarded degrees.

Maj Gen JB Kazura the RDFCSC Commandant underlined the College’s significant achievements in its one year long course.

Maj Claver Batunzi (above) and Maj CH Mweemba (below) receiving their awards

Maj Claver Batunzi from RDF placed first in the order of merit on the course and was awarded the best overall student prize. The second best overall and best allied student was Maj CH Mweemba from Zambia.

Lt Col L Kamanga from Malawi received the best College Research Paper award.

The ‘psc’ dagger was awarded to the members of the faculty who have completed 2 consecutive years teaching or managing training within the RDFCSC in recognition of their hard work and dedication to improve the quality of training. Members of faculty were awarded of dagger (psc+) are: Maj BM MPAMIRA, Maj Gilbert NDATSIKIRA and Maj Jean Paul MUTARAMBIRWA.

A group photo with graduates