Rwandans and friends of Rwanda are mourning the demise of Lieutenant General Jacques Musemakweli who was the Inspector-General of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) since 2019, among other duties.

According to RDF, the deceased passed away on Thursday, February 11, at the Rwanda Military Hospital, Kanombe.

"The Rwanda Defence Force extends its condolences and joins the family in grief during this sad moment. May his soul rest in peace,” reads a statement by RDF.

After the demise, people took to social media among other channels to pay tribute to late Musemakweli.

"You fought a great battle to liberate Rwanda, you dedicated and put your life on front line to protect the freedom we are enjoying today,” Fred Mufulukye, Eastern Province Governor tweeted. "The legacy you have left is unmatched by any words,” he added.

Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Ghana, also said that the death of Musemakweli is unfortunate.

She said: "So shocked and deeply saddened. A great leader and mentor; in humility and steadfastness of service, you reached out to us all.”

"We shall miss you. May your soul rest in eternal peace, and may our God protect and strengthen the family and RDF,” she added.

During his time in service, Musemakweli served in different key roles of the military leadership, including the Reserve Force Chief of Staff and the Chief of Staff of Land Forces.

Prior to that, Musemakweli served as the head of the Republican Guard, which among others is in charge of protecting the Head of State.

"Rest in peace General. Your sacrifice and service is an eternal legacy for Rwanda,” reads a tweet by Louise Kanyonga, Head of Strategy and Competitiveness at the Rwanda Development Board.

Ladislas Ngendahimana, the Secretary General of Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA), also reiterated the patriotism of Lt. General Musemakweli, saying that he was "a great man, patriotic, loyal, resilient and always optimistic.”

"Intelligent and humble. A great warrior indeed, striving for sustainable liberation of Rwanda, has gone. He made us and Rwanda Defence Force proud. He shall be missed,” Ngendahimana added.

A critical player in local football development

Other roles in which Musemakweli previously served include serving as the chairman of APR football club.

During his tenure, he is mainly hailed for introducing the policy of using local football players only, which paved way for local talented players to showcase their ability in APR.

The Ministry of Sports (MINISPORTS) recognized the deceased’s efforts in promoting the local football industry.

"MINISPORTS is saddened by the death of Lt. Gen. Jacques Musemakweli. We comfort his family, the Rwanda Defence Force, and the entire family of sports. MINISPORTS acknowledges his role in the development of sports,” the ministry tweeted on Friday.

Lt. Gen. Musemakweli is survived by a wife and four children.