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What roles did James Kabarebe hold, and when?

James Kabarebe

Rwandan retired general who is Senior Defence and Security Advisor in the Office of the President of Rwanda and a former Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Latest source 2 Dec 2025Updated 26 Oct 20266 sources

CurrentNow

Currently Senior Defence and Security Advisor, Office of the President, Rwanda, since Dec 2025. 6 dated roles on record.

Identity record: Public Figure Record Verified

Roles, most recent first

  1. Dec 2025 – present
    Senior Defence and Security Advisor Office of the President, Rwanda Current

    Moved to this post in ministerial appointments published by the Office of the Prime Minister on 1 December 2025.1

  2. 4 Oct 2023 – Dec 2025
    Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation / Regional Integration Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda Former

    Junior foreign minister responsible for regional cooperation; took over from Prof. Nshuti Manasseh at a handover on 4 October 2023; replaced by Usta Kayitesi in appointments published on 1 December 2025.2 3 4 1

  3. 1997 – 1998
    Army chief of staff Armed forces of the DRC (under Laurent-Desire Kabila) Former

    Installed as Congo's army chief of staff after Kabila took power in 1997 and dismissed in 1998, as reported by AP/Africanews.5

  4. Sep 2023
    Special Advisor to the President on Security Office of the President, Rwanda Former

    Security adviser to President Paul Kagame before returning to cabinet.4

  5. Oct 2018
    Minister of Defence Government of Rwanda Former

    Defence minister until replaced in October 2018, per KT Press.4 5

  6. 2023
    General (retired) Rwanda Defence Force Former

    Retired from the RDF less than a month before his September 2023 cabinet appointment.2 4

Where the dates come from

  1. SecondaryRwanda: Kagame Makes New Ministerial AppointmentsAllAfrica · 2 Dec 2025
  2. PrimaryTreasury Sanctions Rwandan Minister and Senior Militant for Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the CongoUS Department of the Treasury · 20 Feb 2025
  3. PrimaryProf. Manasseh hands over to Gen. (Rtd) KabarebeMinistry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda · 4 Oct 2023
  4. SecondaryNEW APPOINTMENTS: Gen (Rtd) Kabarebe Back In Cabinet, Gatare New RDB CEOKT Press · 27 Sep 2023
  5. SecondaryDR Congo: Rwanda protests U.S. sanctions against top officialAfricanews (AP) · 22 Feb 2025

Changes

26 Oct 2026 Published after review.

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