President Paul Kagame has appointed Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita as the new Secretary-General of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

Gen Nzabamwita, who was until yesterday the Military and Defence spokesperson, replaces Lt Gen Karenzi Karake, who moves to the President’s Office as the Defence and Security Advisor to the President, according to a statement from the President’s office.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Rwanda Defence Forces also named Lt Col Patrick Karuretwa as the Principal Private Secretary to the President.

Nzabamwita, who became the Military and Defence spokesperson in July 2011 having previously served as commanding officer of the 105 Battalion in Rubavu District, is no stranger to his new role.

He has previously served as Deputy Secretary-General of the former National Security Services.

Prior to that, he had served as Rwanda’s Defence and Military Attaché in Washington DC, United States.

Nzabamwita holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Uganda’s Makerere University and a Masters in International Law from the University of Washington, US.

Gen Karenzi has been Secretary-General of NISS since July 2011, having previously headed the Rwanda Military Academy-Nyakinama.

He also once served as Deputy Force Commander of African Mission in Sudan (AMIS), which later morphed into African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

editorial@newtimes.o.rw