Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga has been appointed as the new Director of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), taking over from Brigadier General (Rtd) Paul Kahuria Njema, who completed a three-year tenure.

The handover and takeover ceremony took place at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.

Uganda’s Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Marksons Oboth, who also chairs the EASF Council of Ministers, presided over the event.

Oboth commended Njema for strengthening operational readiness, governance structures, and financial management during his tenure.

He urged Brig Gen Rwivanga to build on the progress made and enhance the organisation’s credibility, while also calling for greater internal resource mobilisation amid reduced external support.

Njema described his tenure as a period of strengthened regional cooperation, improved coordination, and enhanced institutional capacity.

He called on member states to increase financial contributions to ensure the sustainability of the force.

Rwivanga pledged to uphold professionalism, transparency, and accountability, noting that the region faces growing security challenges including terrorism, cybercrime, and climate-related disasters.

He also emphasized the importance of humanitarian response capabilities.

The EASF is an African Union regional standby mechanism mandated to support peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and humanitarian operations across Eastern Africa.

The ceremony was attended by senior defence officials and EASF representatives.