Rwanda Defence Forces Army Band

The RDF Band was founded in 1992 during the Rwandan Civil War and had its first performance on March 8, 1992 when it only had 16 members. After the war, it was reestablished with 46 members. In 2002, Lieutenant Colonel Lemeul Kayumba was appointed commanding officer of the band. Under his leadership, the band introduced intensive training and relationships with foreign military music programs.[2] In 2008, the RDF Army sent the first contingent of 20 musicians to attend the South African Army Military Music Course, presented by the South African Army Band Cape Town with the assistance of the University of Stellenbosch.[3] A year later, the 29 members of the band were participants in training conducted by the Uganda People's Defence Force Band at the Rwanda Military Academy in Nyakinama.[4]

The RDF Band in full dress uniform.

The band performs at the annual parade at Amahoro Stadium during the Liberation Day celebrations. Wearing its standard red and green tunics, they perform the national anthem, Rwanda Nziza as well as marching displays. They also perform traditional military marches and native music such as the Swahili song Sisi Wenyewe.[5] The band released a new album called Ubudasa in celebration of the 25th anniversary of liberation in 2019.[6]

Its jazz band has participated in joint performances with civilian jazz bands.[7][8] It has performed with many foreign ensembles, the most notable of which is the United States Air Forces in Europe Band.[9] It previously participated in the Cape Town Military Tattoo in 2010.[10] The members of Urban Boyz (a Rwandan Afropop group) and the army jazz band performed at the official opening ceremony of a military games in 2017.[11]

• Kenya Army Band
• Bands of the Uganda People's Defence Force