President Paul Kagame, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Rwanda Defence Force, has appointed an official Presidential Pilot for the first time.
According to a statement released by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), President Kagame appointed Brigadier General Godfrey Gasana as the Presidential Pilot. In addition to this role, Brig Gen Gasana also serves as an Advisor to the Minister of Defence on Air Force Operations.
The announcement was made in an official statement issued on the night of Saturday, January 25, 2025, leading into Sunday. The same statement also indicated that Colonel Dan Gatsinzi was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force in charge of Operations.
This marks the first time Rwanda has officially announced the position of Presidential Pilot.
In 2023, Brig Gen Gasana—who at the time held the rank of Colonel—was promoted to Brigadier General. At that time, he was serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force, according to information published by IGIHE.
Meanwhile, Dan Gatsinzi was promoted to the rank of Colonel in September 2024, having previously held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.