SANDHURST - A Rwandan Officer Cadet has won three awards at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - UK.

Ramsey Simba, a Senior Under Officer was awarded the prestigious medals after a 1 year Commissioning Course in Leadership at the 300 year-old military Academy.

The military training was aimed at developing leadership in Cadets by expanding their character, intellect and professional competences to a level demanded of an Army Officer on first appointment.

Simba excelled with high grades and was awarded The Overseas Sword Award, given to the overseas Cadet considered to be the best of his course and The HRC Prince Saud Abdullah Prize, awarded to the Overseas Cadet who obtained the best aggregate mark in Academic Subjects. 

Officiating at the passing - out ceremony, British premier David Cameron commended the young officers for the bravery shown during the long and difficult training.

"I want you to be proud of the difference that you can make….. You have been through 44 weeks of the toughest and the best training that anyone can do,”

"Your training here has given you the best possible start. You will need to continue to develop all these skills and more”. Cameron said.

Cameron further noted that despite the technology of today, an army is an intensely human business, based on personal relationships and the ability of young newly commissioned officers to lead men and women in the face of danger.

It is in this, "human business” that Simba was also awarded the Communication and Applied Behavioural Science Prize for his best performance.

The pass-out ceremony was also attended by Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the UK, Ernest Rwamucyo and the Rwanda’s Defence Advisor Brig. General Frank Rusagara, who both commended the cadet for making Rwanda proud.

Other dignitaries who had sons or grandsons passing out included the King of Swaziland, The President of Yemen, the Prime minister of Bahrain and the Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain in the United Arab Emirates.

Formed in 1720, Sandhurst Military Academy is where all officers in the British Army are trained to take responsibilities of leading soldiers. The Academy also hosts Oversees Senior Officers.

A total of 226 officers graduated last week with 21 Overseas Cadets from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belize, China, Ghana, Kosovo, Oman, Qatar, Swaziland, UAE, USA, Yemen and Rwanda.

Over 700 Officer Cadets attend the Commissioning Course each year. In addition, Sandhurst trains annually some 240 Territorial Army Officers, and 260 regular and Territorial Army Professionally Qualified Officers including doctors, dentists, nurses, vets, lawyers and the clergy.

Simba was the only Overseas Cadet to be included in what is known as the Cadet Government – a privileged appointment that allows more than 15 cadets to be recognised.

Simba was formerly a 2nd year student at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology [KIST] before he joined the Rwanda Military Academy – Gako as a student Cadet and subsequently selected to attend Sandhurst.

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