Nyinawumuntu to stay on as women national team coach

Grace Nyinawumuntu will carry on with her role as the She-Amavubi head coach despite being sacked by AS Kigali Women FC, according to the Rwanda Football Federation spokesperson, Prosper Ruboneza.

Monday, March 06, 2017
Nyinawumuntu became the countryu2019s first female professional football coach in 2008. File.

Grace Nyinawumuntu will carry on with her role as the She-Amavubi head coach despite being sacked by AS Kigali Women FC, according to the Rwanda Football Federation spokesperson, Prosper Ruboneza.

The development comes two days after the long-serving coach and one of the pioneers of women football in the country, was shown the exit door by AS Kigali over what the club described as "indiscipline” and causing divisions through favouritism.

Speaking to Times Sport on Monday, Ruboneza revealed that Nyinawumuntu would retain her job as the She-Amavubi head coach, insisting that her sacking at the City of Kigali-sponsored club has no impact on what she has been doing with the national team.

"She will keep her job because her sacking at AS Kigali has nothing to do with the national team, as the federation we can’t influence the club’s decision and we fully respect it; however, it won’t affect her national team job,” said Ruboneza.

Nyinawumuntu was sacked after leading AS Kigali to a record seven titles in the women league champions.

She became the country’s first female professional football coach in 2008 having previously qualified as the first Rwandan female international referee in 2004.

She played in the first national women’s team in 2009 and became their head coach in January 2014.

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