On 6 April 2009 twenty nine personnel belonging to the RDF band completed a six months military band course at Rwanda Military Academy [RMA], Nyakinama in Northern Rwanda. The training that was fully sponsored by the Rwandan Ministry of Defence was conducted by instructors from Uganda Peoples Defence Forces [UPDF] band.

The pass out ceremony was presided over by the Army Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Charles Kayonga. A number of senior military officers from Rwanda and Uganda were present at the ceremony. The UPDF was represented by the Chief of Personnel and Administration Col Martin Temera, the Director of the UPDF Band Lt Col Justin Anywa and the Contingent Commander, Maj Sentongo.

The Commandant of RMA Nyakinama Col Aloys Muganga welcomed all guests and thanked the Ministry of Defence and RDF headquarters for offering the necessary facilities. He also thanked both instructors and trainees for their hard work and discipline. In his remarks Col Temera observed that the training was a clear demonstration of strong ties between the two Armed Forces.

On his part Lt Gen Charles Kayonga lauded the strong ties between UPDF and RDF. He stressed that the two Armed Forces have much in common and that there was a lot they could gain from one another. He further pointed out that the RDF had allocated some slots to the UPDF in its Officer Cadet School in the spirit of East African Community [EAC] cooperation in Defence. Rwanda has also offered similar slots to Tanzania, Burundi, and Liberia.