Lt Gen Kabandana was born in 1968. He was among the soldiers who fought in the liberation struggle that began in 1990 and played a role in halting the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Gen (Rtd) Fred Ibingira, who served alongside him, spoke during a memorial evening held on 9 September 2025 to honor the life of Lt Gen Kabandana. He recalled that most of them had joined the army at a young age, driven by the call to bring peace to Rwandans and build a country in which all citizens could feel a sense of belonging.
He reminded the audience that during the struggle, some fighters died, others were permanently disabled, some were lightly injured, while others recovered. Yet, he emphasized: 'What we all fought for whether those who passed away, those permanently wounded, or othersâ€"was this country. And indeed, the country was liberated… Kabandana accomplished everything he was meant to do in his youth.'
Gen (Rtd) Ibingira noted that in the 35 years he spent alongside Lt Gen Kabandana, he witnessed him survive multiple gunshots.
'Kabandana was a man who had survived mulltiple bullets. Death, therefore, coming like a stray dog, should not have taken him. The Chief of Defence Staff, present here, commands troops that should have been deployed to shield Kabandana. However, death strikes unexpectedly,' he said.
Near-death experiences
Gen (Rtd) Fred Ibingira recalled that on 21 and 22 December 1990, Lt Gen Kabandana was injured at a place called Nkandaâ€"now part of Kiyombe Sectorâ€"when the enemy surprised them between midnight and 1 a.m. The soldiers, exhausted and hungry, woke up to find themselves under attack while trapped between two hills.
In the process of retreating through the thickets, Lt Gen Kabandana was wounded for the first time, but he recovered quickly.
'What I want to say is that a person dies on their destined day. That day was meant to be Kabandana's last, and many died there. But Kabandana was slightly injured and later healed,' he explained.
Gen (Rtd) Ibingira went on to recount that in 1991, when the RPA troops fought in Ruhengeri, Cyanika, and Muremure, Lt Gen Kabandanaâ€"then still a junior soldierâ€"was already demonstrating exceptional strength and courage.
In May 1991, the commander of the operation distributed 10 machine guns to the soldiers of Bravo and Mike battalions. These heavy weapons were meant to be carried by only the strongest and bravest soldiers. Kabandana was selected among those entrusted with a machine gun.
The two battalions were tasked with moving out of the Virunga mountains to block the Rusumo road.
Gen (Rtd) Ibingira recalled: 'That was when I came to know Kabandana very well. We gave them the guns in the evening, still wrapped in plastic and covered with grease. It required the soldiers to carefully clean them and prepare them for use.
'Kabandana carried his gun down the mountain. Since I was the commander, I stayed at a designated place. At one point, one of the soldiers challenged him, saying: 'Who do you think you are to pass here?' He then confronted some of the strongest soldiers, struck them down, and they panicked and fled.'
One of Gen (Rtd) Fred Ibingira's bodyguards once came to him and reported that there was a soldier who had gone wild and beaten them all. The next morning, Gen (Rtd) Ibingira asked his soldiers who had assaulted his guards.
Kabandana immediately admitted it, saying: 'Do they love you more than we do? They attempted, … then I beat them.'
According to Ibingira, it was there that Kabandana earned his very first military rank, Corporal.
On 18 May 1991, during a march toward the park (in eastern province), the battalion led by Gen (Rtd) Ibingira was at the front. He instructed his soldiers to rest while Bravo Battalion stayed behind to provide security. However, the enemy manoeuvered and attacked those who had fallen asleep in the bushes.
He recalled: 'We were taken by surprise by heavy gunfire. Among the young soldiers who fought to rescue their comrades was Kabandana. He emerged from the bush with his machine gun and began firing at the enemy without anyone commanding him or telling him what to do. That gun had tremendous power, and because of it, many soldiers managed to get out of the bushes and regroup to fire back. I remember that on that date Gen Musemakweri was shot, along with many others.'
The enemy force numbered about 900 soldiers, while their battalion had only 200 poorly equipped men facing the government army.
On 21 May, Gen Ibingira was wounded and taken abroad for treatment. He returned to the battlefield after a year and a half, rejoining Kabandana in the same battalion.
At that time, Kabandana served as deputy in charge of political affairs within their unit, while also actively fighting on the frontlines.
Gen (Rtd) Ibingira recalled: 'In 1994, during the struggle to liberate our country and stop the Genocide against the Tutsi, Kabandana and I were together from Mutara all the way to Butare. He was among those seen in Karubamba on social media carrying an infant who had survived the killings at that parish.'
He emphasized that Kabandana narrowly escaped death during events in which very few soldiers survived. In 1994, when they reached Ruhuha in Bugesera, Kabandana joined Gen Mubarakh Muganga. He drove a Daihatsu vehicle and returned with about 12 survivors.
On their way back along the Nembaâ€"Nyanza road, which had been heavily mined, the vehicle exploded after hitting a mine. All those he had saved were killed instantly.
Kabandana himself was severely burned but miraculously survived. 'Kabandana fought in all these battles, he even went abroad to confront terrorists and provide security and still did not die. Yet in the end, it was illness that took him,' Gen (Rtd) Ibingira said.
He stressed that Kabandana's legacy will never fade, as he left behind his children, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), and the country he fought for.
'I often hear some of the Interahamwe saying that heaven will receive them. If that is true, then we shall be the first to be welcomed into heaven. There is no way heaven could exist and not welcome Kabandana, a man who gave his youth, his strength, who worked without pay, without seeking honor, but served the people of Rwanda.
"For four years on the battlefield, he fought without a salary. Religious leaders who found churches today receive offerings immediately, yet he belonged to a 'church' that paid no salary, only rewarding truth, life, and spirit,' Gen (Rtd) Ibingira recounted.
'We know some of our comrades who betrayed this cause and chose selfish interests. Whatever rewards they received, they know them, but they will not die with honor.'
Lt Col (Rtd) Naramabuye, who is also Lt Gen Innocent Kabandana's brother-in-law, thanked the national leadership for doing everything possible to ensure Kabandana received the medical care he needed.
'We lived through many stages together from preparing to defend this country, to fighting on the battlefield, and later working in the South where he guided the youth and others preparing to serve the nation. At that time, [the military leadership will remember this] a decision was made for some soldiers to pursue higher education at the University of Rwanda and elsewhere,' he noted.
Lt Col (Rtd) Naramabuye, then a student at the University of Rwanda, joined Kabandana in counseling young people and comforting those fearful of being blamed for their relatives' involvement in the Genocide against the Tutsi.
He noted: 'Just think of the energy our country gained from this. Leaders sent him to teach love to people, including those who had committed crimes. I also remember the lessons we gave to youth survivors studying at the university. I still wonder where his strength came from. But, as we discussed in the family, a person is made up of three types of strength: spiritual strength, intellectual strength, and physical strength. Everything else arises from these three.'
He affirmed that Lt Gen Kabandana lived by these strengths, particularly those of spirit and intellect: 'These are the foundations of all human action. They were built on love, as our elders always reminded us that love is the first weapon we must use, even before we could access other weapons. Love works, and it will always work. It is a weapon that can never be defeated.'
He concluded by stressing that Lt Gen Kabandana used this weapon of love to mentor young people: 'From the few examples I have sharedâ€"and there are many moreâ€"he achieved his goals and became a role model for countless people. We have no doubt that God has welcomed him. This is not emotion speaking; his actions speak for themselves.'
Lt Gen Kabandana's legacy to the youth
Lt Col (Rtd) Naramabuye urged young people to follow in the footsteps of Lt Gen Kabandana, who was known for his love, selflessness, and many other virtues.
'My request to the youth is that you live by his good exampleâ€"love one another, work in ways that bring dignity to yourselves and to your families. As you grow, you will realize that the world we live in is, for the most part, not guided by love but by personal interests.
'It often discourages those who try to build their nations on love. But we will never be defeated. We endured very difficult times, yet the good leadership of this country and the foresight of our army have shown that as long as we walk in the strength of spirit, love, and wisdom, God will remain with us, protect us from all dangers, and keep us strong,' Lt Col (Rtd) Naramabuye said.
He recalled that in 1994, churches, once seen as sanctuaries and houses of God, became sites of mass killings and urged the public to stand for the right cause.
'We must put into practice the teachings we constantly preach, just as Lt Gen Kabandana so often demonstrated through his own example. He fought many battles, he confronted evil directly. He never feared evil, he never feared to speak the truth. Even when it challenged the interests of some, he told them: 'These interests will not last.' To you, young people here today, and to your peers, we beg you as parents: if you walk in that path, you will prove that you truly loved and will always honor Lt Gen Kabandana.'
IGIHE
