Nyirubutama Appointed Deputy Presidential Security Advisor

President Paul Kagame has appointed Brig Gen Jean-Paul Nyirubutama as Deputy Senior Defence and Security Advisor in the Office of the President. At the same time, he appointed James Wizeye as Deputy Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service.

According to a communiqué from the Office of the Prime Minister issued on Thursday, the appointments form part of ongoing leadership adjustments within the security sector.

Previously, Nyirubutama served as Deputy Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service. In his new position, he will work under Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe, who took office as Senior Defence and Security Advisor on December 1, 2025.

Communiqué from the Office of the Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/Ob1WNrRKFP

— Office of the PM | Rwanda (@PrimatureRwanda) January 29, 2026

Nyirubutama assumed the deputy secretary general role at NISS in September 2021. Meanwhile, James Wizeye succeeds him after serving as First Secretary at Rwanda’s High Commission to the United Kingdom.

In addition, Wizeye will report to Aimable Havugiyaremye, who became Secretary General of NISS in June 2024.

These appointments follow other recent defence related changes. On January 24, authorities appointed Brig Gen Godfrey Gasana as Presidential Pilot and Advisor on Air Force matters to the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff.

Soon after, officials named Colonel Dan Gatsinzi as Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, replacing Gasana.

Overall, the government said these changes aim to strengthen leadership coordination within Rwanda’s defence and security institutions.