Rwanda will play in 2019 Afcon - Minister Habineza

The Minister of Sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza has tasked Rwanda Football Association to make sure that Amavubi qualifies for the 2019 Africa cup of nations. Habineza said this during the opening ceremony of U15 National league on Sunday in Gatsibo. “I am not saying that Rwanda won’t be involved in the qualification campaign of 2017 Africa cup of nations or that the National team won’t be competitive enough but Ferwafa won’t have any excuses if the country does not participate in the 2019 Afcon,” Habineza said after flagging off the U-15 league. Habineza said that the reason the ministry is keen on investing massively in the U-15 league is to make sure there is a huge pool of players that can be nurtured and groomed so that they can play in the senior football team. “This is what we needed, to go back and see young players who are playing football in every corner of the country and identify them, train them and I am sure that we will get benefits from these initiatives,” he noted.73 teams are taking part in the U-15 league. Rwanda has participated only once in Africa’s top elite football competition in 2004 and since then Amavubi has fallen short. Last year, Rwanda was suspended from the 2015 Afcon qualifiers by the Confederation of Africa football (Caf) after fielding a player Tady Etekiama Agiti who had another identity. In 2009, the National U-17 team reached the finals of the Africa U-17 championship and later participated in the World U-17 championship in Mexico. However since then there wasn’t an elaborate youth football structure that could identify and nurture raw talent. editorial@newtimes.co.rw