The Role of the Military in Rwanda: Current Dynamics and Future Prospects

Abstract

This chapter examines the role Rwanda’s military plays in the national, regional and international arenas, emphasising the importance of the interplay between these levels in understanding implications for Rwanda’s future. The chapter first briefly outlines the role played by the military since independence and during the 1994 genocide, highlighting trends and features salient to the subsequent analysis. It then focuses on the role played by the military in domestic politics, highlighting sources of division within the military, and between government and armed forces. As will be shown, a growing number of critics of the government are associated with the military. The institution is promoted to Rwandan citizens as a source of national pride, but historically, particular splits and convergences between political and military elites have presaged outbreaks of violence and this possibility remains a concern. The third section focuses on the role of the military in the region, particularly in neighbouring DR Congo where Rwanda has been accused of resource exploitation and violence against civilians. The chapter will then explore the international dimension, analysing Rwanda’s role in international peacekeeping. Through training partnerships Rwanda has built a force which has won international respect in Darfur, and is amongst the top 10 troop contributors to UN missions. Thus, despite Rwanda’s recurring involvement in DR Congo, its military is a key part of its status as a donor-darling.