On Monday 24 July 2017, Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College officially opened the one year Senior Command and Staff Course, intake six (SCSC06). The course that includes 3 female officers, comprises 28 Rwanda Defence Force officers, 2 Rwanda National Police officers and 14 allied officers in the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and Major, making a total of 44 students. SCSC 06 students come from 10 countries, namely: Czech Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

On behalf of the RDF Chief of Defence Staff, the Commandant of the College, Maj Gen JB Kazura, welcomed and congratulated the selected officers, stressing the importance of such a prestigious career course.

The commandant outlined the course content, comprising two concurrent and complementary packages: the core military package and the Masters of Arts in security studies package. He urged students to work hard, read extensively and research exhaustively to graduate successfully from the two packages. He told them to aim high in order to uphold personal pride and the institutional trust in them. Finally, the Commandant assured students that the college will be their home for the one year and encouraged them to use the opportunity to share their wealth of knowledge and experiences.

For a period of 46 weeks, the college faculty, support staff and indeed SCSC 06 students will vigorously endeavour to achieve the course main objective:“To develop a mind that is flexible, able to conceptualize and analyze security problems in a military perspective, so as to make timely and rational decisions in the contemporary volatile and complex operating environment”. The course end product would be ‘officers with the requisite analytical and communication skills as well as a professional military knowledge in command and leadership at operational level and beyond’.

The official course opening was preceded by a week-long familiarization programme, including acquaintance to the college infrastructure and facilities, but also a familiarization tour of the North-Western region for the allied students and DS.

The tour involved visiting Kinigi touristic areas, and Cyanika and Rubavu border posts.