The United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, and African Union Commission chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, yesterday, announced the appointment of Lt Gen Frank Mushyo Kamanzi as Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

The Rwandan will succeed Lt Gen Paul Ignace Mella of Tanzania, who will complete his assignment on December 31, according to a statement.

The secretary-general is grateful to Lt Gen Mella for his dedication and invaluable service during his tenure in UNAMID, the statement said.

Gen Kamanzi brings to the position more than 27 years of national and international military, as well as command and staff experience.

Until his appointment, he served as Army Chief of Staff in the Rwanda Defence Forces, a position he took up in 2012.

He served as Commander in the Rwanda Military Academy (2010-2012) and as Commander of an infantry brigade (2007-2010).

Gen Kamanzi also held the position of Deputy Force Commander and Chief Military Observer in the African Union Mission in Sudan (2006-2007), the precursor of UNAMID.

Gen Kamanzi has a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National Defence University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji, Nigeria, and the Army Command College in Nanjing, People’s Republic of China.