Kigali, 31 May 2019

A total of 120 RDF soldiers made up of Sergeants, Corporals and Privates have today completed a three-months section commanders’ course at Kami barracks. The participants were from the RDF First Infantry Division (1Inf Div) sub-units as well as other RDF independent units. Among them were 14 ladies.

A section is the smallest military independent sub-unit in RDF consisting of between 8 to 10 soldiers and commanded by a Sergeant (Sgt) with a Corporal (Cpl) as his second in command. Three sections form a platoon, three platoons a company and three companies a battalion.

While officiating the end of the course, 1 Inf Div Commander Maj Gen Mubarak Muganga congratulated soldiers for having successfully completed this important 12 weeks course with discipline and good overall performance. ‘’As the Division Commander, I can say that the skills you have acquired here will help you be good leaders as well as exemplary followers. When leaders at the bottom of our unit are good, the tasks at hand will be accomplished smoothly and easily even at the top’’ he said. He urged them to utilise and share the skills they have acquired.

He reiterated to the soldiers that RDF’s name was built by their seniors and that it is their role to maintain and upgrade it to further heights. ‘’The name of our defence force is renown at the the international level. However, we shouldn’t relax until the highest level of professionalism and performance is reached,’’ he concluded.

The Section commanders’ course takes place thrice a year with the purpose to impart fighting capabilities and leadership skills to section commanders. Students also cover indoor and outdoor exercises that include tactics, marksmanship and political education among the many modules.