Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga has officially assumed office as the new head of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), taking over from Uganda’s Brig Gen (Rtd) Paul Kahuria Njema, who completed a three-year term leading the regional force.
The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday at Uganda’s Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala, bringing together senior military and security officials from across the region.
Although Brig Gen Rwivanga was appointed to the position late last year, his official duties were scheduled to begin in May. His office will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, where the EASF headquarters are located.
The ceremony was presided over by Uganda’s Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Marksons Oboth, who also serves as Chairperson of the EASF Council of Ministers.
Oboth praised Brig Gen Njema for his contribution to strengthening the institution, particularly in building stable leadership structures and improving accountability in the management of the organization’s resources.
He urged Brig Gen Rwivanga to build on the progress already achieved and continue efforts aimed at making the regional force more self-reliant and operationally effective.
In his first remarks after assuming office, Brig Gen Rwivanga emphasized transparency, professionalism and closer cooperation among member states as key priorities during his leadership.
He said: “I will prioritize transparency and professionalism while strengthening collaboration among institutions within the region in addressing threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, natural disasters and other humanitarian challenges.”
Rwivanga also stressed that EASF would continue supporting member countries during emergencies, including floods, disasters and disease outbreaks that affect communities across the region.
He added: “EASF will continue standing with member states during difficult times caused by disasters, floods and epidemics.”
Before taking up the regional assignment, Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga served as spokesperson of the Rwanda Defence Force, a position he held since 2020. Prior to that role, he worked as Coordinator of Courses at the Rwanda Military Academy, where he was involved in military training and professional development programs.
His appointment to lead EASF is viewed as another significant step for Rwanda’s growing role in regional security and peace support operations, especially at a time when East Africa continues to face challenges linked to terrorism, cyber threats, humanitarian crises and emergency response operations.
The Eastern Africa Standby Force is a regional mechanism established to support peacekeeping operations, rapid response missions and humanitarian interventions across member states in Eastern Africa.
Observers say Brig Gen Rwivanga’s leadership will likely focus on enhancing regional coordination, strengthening operational readiness and improving collective response to emerging security threats across the region.
