Report Details Alleged Persecution of Former Rwandan Army Chief
NAIROBI – A detailed account from within Rwandan military circles alleges that General Jean Bosco Kazura, the country’s former Chief of Defence Staff, was removed from his post, placed under surveillance, and later poisoned for privately questioning President Paul Kagame’s military policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to a report authored by a long-serving military corporal writing under the name RPF Gakwerere, General Kazura’s downfall began in June 2023. The general, who is reportedly a distant cousin of President Kagame, was abruptly dismissed from his position on June 5, 2023.
The report claims his removal was a direct result of a secret recording that captured him expressing doubts about Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC, often described by critics as a “mineral war.” The account states that two fellow officers, Brigadier General Fred Muziraguharara and Major General Vincent Nyakarundi, then Chief of Military Intelligence, orchestrated the betrayal. It is alleged that Muziraguharara secretly recorded a private conversation with Kazura, which Nyakarundi then presented to President Kagame.
Following his dismissal, General Kazura was reportedly subjected to tight surveillance and a brief period of incarceration at the Kumurindi military detention facility.
The situation allegedly escalated dramatically in October of this year. The report claims that General Kazura and his wife were poisoned in an assassination attempt. While the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, was said to have offered him some protection, the poisoning allegedly occurred when the couple was alone together, making his wife an unintended victim.
Both fell seriously ill, and in late October, the general’s wife was urgently evacuated to Turkey for medical treatment. The report states that General Kazura was initially blocked from leaving Rwanda—a tactic described as a regime strategy to prevent targets from receiving timely medical care—before finally being granted permission to travel to Turkey last week. Sources indicate he is now slowly recovering.
The Rwandan government has historically dismissed similar allegations as baseless propaganda. The account of General Kazura’s persecution, if accurate, offers a stark depiction of the perils faced by even the highest-ranking officials who are perceived to question the president’s authority or strategic decisions.
At the time of this reporting, the Rwandan government has not issued an official statement on these specific allegations.
About The Author
