KIGALI -  The body of Lt. Wellars Munyengabe who recently died while on duty in the war ravaged Darfur region in Sudan arrived Friday.

Munyengabe’s remains were received by top military officials, and grieving family and friends while colleagues from the army mounted a guard of honour.

Among those who received the body in the scorching mid-day sun at Kigali International Airport at Kanombe were the RDF Chief of General Staff, Gen. James Kabarebe and Col. Charles Karamba, the Director of Research and Development.

"We have sent a condolence message to his family," said Major Jill Rutaremara, the Army spokesman who was also present, "the bereaved family will receive full compensation as is stipulated in the Presidential Order and his former employers will also fully compensate his family."

Rutaremara explained that the deceased died of diabetes after a short spell.

Lt. Munyengabe was part of the Rwandan contingent serving under the United Nations’ African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

UNAMID also provides compensation for the surviving next of kin to soldiers who die on duty.

He is the eleventh RDF peacekeeper to die in the war-torn Darfur since the troops were deployed there in 2004 but was the first to die since the UN-AU hybrid joint peacekeeping force was set up.

Munyengabe joined the army in January 1995 and is survived with a widow and two children.

He was a member of 55th Battalion deployed in sector north in the war ravaged Darfur province of Sudan. He will be buried at Kanombe Military Cemetery today at about 1600 hours.

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