President Paul Kagame's son joins elite presidential guard

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame’s son, Ian Kagame, has been enrolled in the Rwanda Defense Forces Presidential Guard months after graduating and being part of the Rwandese army.

Ian, appeared publicly for the first time taking on his new assignment at the Annual National Prayer Breakfast held on Sunday.

Photos of Ian alongside other members of the Rwanda Defence Forces emerged on social media.

Last August, Ian was commissioned to the rank of a second lieutenant during a graduation ceremony at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst UK. He joined the college in 2021.

President Kagame and first lady Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame attended the ceremony.

“Such a proud moment. Congratulations Ian, thank you for the joy you brought us, this ceremony was one for the books,” Jeannette tweeted after the graduation in November.

Being, a highly trained officer, the third-born son, Ian is tasked with ensuring the safety of the country’s top in command.

His latest role has left many suggesting that he could be walking in the footsteps of Ugandan President Museveni's son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who previously served in the Special Forces Command (SFC), an elite unit equivalent to the Presidential Guard in the RDF.

Muhoozi served in the SFC as commander, from 2008 to 2017 and again from December 2020 to 2021 before being elevated to Commander of Land Forces.