Harare — Rwandan President Paul Kagame promoted a General recently sanctioned by the U.S. for involvement in the conflict in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, in what could be interpreted as defiance or protest against Washington.
Brig-Gen Andrew Nyamvumba was named to a new position, along with numerous other key army officers including Maj. Gens. Emmy Ruvusha, and Eugene Nkubito.
The appointment comes barely a week after the U.S. Department of Treasury classified Nyamvumba as one of six individuals in the eastern DR Congo who are implicated for their alleged roles in backing abusive armed groups in the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
“Brigadier General Andrew Nyamvumba (Nyamvumba), a Rwandan national, is the head of operations for the RDF’s 3rd Division. In early 2022, the 3rd Division entered DRC territory, and in conjunction with M23 combatants, attacked FARDC positions and camps, resulting in FARDC casualties,” the U.S. Department of Treasury said.
Nyamvumba was included as one of individuals who “helped fuel the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” according to the report.
“Nyamvumba is designated pursuant to E.O. 13413, as amended by E.O. 13671, for being a leader of the RDF, an entity, including any armed group, that has, or whose members have, been responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the DRC,” the report read.
Others sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department from Rwanda and the DRC include three FDLR (Hutu rebel group in DRC) leaders: Apollinaire Hakizimana, a Rwandan national, FDLR defence commissioner; Brigadier General Sebastian Uwimbabazi, a Rwandan national, FDLR intelligence leader; and Ruvugayimikore Protogene, a Rwandan national, leader of the FDLR-affiliated Maccabe group, formerly known as the Commando de Recherche et d’Action en Profondeur.
Additionally, Bernard Byamungu, a citizen of the Republic of the Congo and the deputy commander of operations and intelligence for the M23, a Tutsi rebel group in the DRC, was the target of the sanctions.
Kinshasa accuses the neighboring country of supporting the rebels, an accusation Rwanda has denied.