Cabinet on Wednesday, March 26 appointed Col Pacifique Kayigamba Kabanda as the new Secretary General of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), replacing Col (rtd) Jeannot Ruhunga who has headed the body since it was established in 2018. Kabanda comes to the helm of the Kimihurura-based top investigative body with a wealth of experience. He has been a military prosecutor for 30 years, rising to become the Chief Prosecutor of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), his immediate former post. The 59-year-old, who is one of the new officials appointed by President Paul Kagame during a cabinet meeting on March 26, 2025 prides himself as a family man who is devoted to the law. Speaking to The New Times, Kabanda, a father of four, said he joined the military prosecution in 1995, the time when it was established then under the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) before it became RDF. He expressed his readiness for the task ahead of him at the investigations body, saying he has the requisite experience. “Military prosecution does both investigation and prosecution, that is to say, I have experience in the two fields,” he said in a phone interview, adding that his primary role at the military prosecution includes enforcing discipline within the force. ALSO READ: Investigators urged to ‘outsmart criminals’ by using advanced technology During his time in military prosecution, he also served in various roles, including Deputy Military Prosecutor General between 2009 and 2013, as well as an ordinary military prosecutor from 1995 to 2009. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD), and a Diploma in International Relations. In addition, he has completed various military courses, including the Senior Command and Staff Course. ALSO READ: Digital services tax: How Rwanda plans to collect it Kabanda has also received professional training from institutions such as the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, the Rwanda Peace Academy, and the Peace Support Training Centre in Kenya. In the interview, he said that during his free time, he enjoys reading and participating in sports to stay fit and healthy. Asked if he supported any sports club, he answered: “I don’t have a specific club that I support but I can say, as a military man, our club is APR. When I am not working, I love reading. I don’t do a lot of outdoor sports, but I still work out to maintain my health.”
