Rayon start cash drive to clear Shungu arrears

Primus National Football League hopefuls Rayon Sport have started a campaign to raise US$30,000 (approximately Rwf19.9m) the club owes former coach Raoul Shungu in unpaid arrears.

Monday, March 04, 2013
Raoul Shungu (right), seen here giving instruction to Rayon players during a Peace Cup match against Atraco in 2008. He took Rayon to Fifa over unpaid arrears. The New Times / File.

Primus National Football League hopefuls Rayon Sport have started a campaign to raise US$30,000 (approximately Rwf19.9m) the club owes former coach Raoul Shungu in unpaid arrears.In his third reign at the club in 2008, Shungu was sacked under unclear circumstances, prompting him to drag the club to Fifa, the world football governing body, which has since instructed the Blues to pay or risk losing points and possibly relegation to the second division.After several failed attempts to get the attention of the Primus League leaders, Shungu, who now coaches FC Saint Eloi Lupopo in the DRC, decided to take the case to FIFA.Rayon Secretary General and Spokesman Olivier Gakwaya confided in Times Sport yesterday that the club plans to raise the money from gate collections of two matches to clear at least half of the debt."We have started raising the money. The first was during our game against Mukura [played on Sunday] and we are planning another friendly match with a big team on March 16 so we raise 2/3 or half of the debt,” he revealed.He added, "We have already talked to Shungu and he is very cooperative. He wants the issue to be sorted without dragging in Fifa again. Once half of the debt is cleared, then we will pay the remaining balance in two instalments.” Shungu is considered by many as Rayon’s most successful coach after guiding the club to the Cecafa Club championship in 1998 and three league titles in 1997, 1998 and 2002.Between 2004 and 2008, Shungu served as the national technical director for the Seychelles football federation. He returned to the Blues towards the end of 2008 but his stay was short-lived after falling out with the club’s hierarchy. At the time, the club management blamed irreconcilable differences for his exit.