Lieutenant general

Lieutenant general, lieutenant-general and similar (abbrev Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a captain general.

In modern armies, lieutenant general normally ranks immediately below general and above major general; it is equivalent to the navy rank of vice admiral, and in air forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to air marshal. A lieutenant general commands an army corps, made up of typically three army divisions, and consisting of around 60,000–70,000 soldiers (U.S.).

The seeming incongruity that a lieutenant general outranks a major general (whereas a major outranks a lieutenant) is due to the derivation of the latter rank from sergeant major general, which was also subordinate to lieutenant general. In some countries (e.g. France and Italy), the ranks of corps general or lieutenant colonel general are used instead of lieutenant general, in an attempt to solve this apparent anomaly – these ranks are often translated into English as lieutenant general.

Emmanuel Karenzi Karake

Emmanuel Karenzi Karake is a Rwandan Lieutenant-General who is the Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

Early years

Karake grew up in Uganda as a refugee from the former Rwandan government. He attended Makerere University, and later joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front where he fought in the 1990-1994 Rwandan Civil War.

Karake attended the Senior Commander and Staff College at the South African Army College and the National Defence College in Kenya. The General holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Uganda's Makerere University, a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi in Kenya and a Master of Business Administration from the University of London.

Senior command

Karake was appointed deputy commander of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, Sudan in August 2007, and in January 2008 became deputy of the UN mission in Darfur. He left this command in April 2009. In February 2008 a Spanish judge indicted Karake, alleging that when he was Rwanda's intelligence chief between 1994 and 1997 he was responsible for a series of political assassinations and massacres. Human Rights Watch claimed that forces under his command had killed civilians in 2000 while fighting Ugandan troops in the Congolese town of Kisangani. The United Nations was embarrassed by the allegations of earlier human rights abuses, and agreed to extend Karake's tenure beyond its expiry in October 2008 only after pressure from the United States and the United Kingdom, and when Rwandan President Paul Kagame threatened to withdraw all Rwandan troops from Darfur if Karake was fired.

Major general

Major general (or major-general, short MG) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparently confusing phenomenon whereby a lieutenant general outranks a major general. (Though a major outranks a lieutenant, a lieutenant outranks a sergeant-major.)

In the Commonwealth and United States, it is a division commander's rank subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the rank of brigadier/brigadier general.

In some countries, including much of Eastern Europe, major general is the lowest of the general officer ranks, with no brigadier-grade rank above colonel.

In France, major general (major général) is an appointment, normally of corps general. The major general assists a chief of staff. There is one major general for the chief of staff of the armed forces as a whole, and one for each of the four armed forces chiefs (army, navy, air force and gendarmerie).

Jacques Nziza

Major General Jack Nziza is Inspector-General of the Rwanda Defence Force. He has also served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

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