Sports Club Kiyovu chairman Norbert Sendenge will resign from his post today, it has emerged. It is planned that after he has officially stepped down, the club executive committee will then decide whether to elect a replacement immediately or allow the vice chairman Jean Pierre Kayumba take the mantle until next elections due early next year. Sendenge, who is also the director of Crop Production division at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, cited rules that bar civil servants from holding leadership positions in the sports fraternity as the reason behind his decision. Such rules have been in place since 2008. Sendenge was elected as SC Kiyovu chairman in 2011 for a three-year term, which was due to expire later this year. He did not explain why he had to wait until just a few days to the end of his term to step down even as he was elected when the same rules were in place. “I must abide by the laws that govern the country and resign my post, but I will continue to offer my services to SC Kiyovu as I am a life-long fan of the club,” he said. As a result of his decision, the club has called an extra-ordinary general assembly on Friday at Top Tower Hotel in Kacyiru, during which the way forward will be decided. During his tenure, Sendenge managed to secure sponsorship for the Mumena-based club from Nyarugenge District worth Rwf5 million per month for the entire 2013/14 season. “I am very proud of what I managed to achieve for the club, including securing sponsorship for the team; we have a very good coach in Gilbert Yaoundé Kanyankore, and have a much stronger squad now than we have had in recent years,” he said. SC Kiyovu are in sixth position on the national league standings with 18 points, four behind leaders AS Kigali. SC Kiyovu will take on Mukura Victory Sport this Saturday at Stade de Kigali. Reigning champions Rayon Sports were the first team to effect leadership changes in line with this rule when they replaced their chairman Abdallah Murenzi, the Mayor of Nyanza District, with his deputy Theogene Ntampaka earlier this month. Most of the topflight football teams are chaired by civil servants and Rayon’s and SC Kiyovu’s actions are likely to be replicated elsewhere.
