Club owners form alliance to challenge Nzamwita

A group calling itself Rwanda Football Coalition for Change has launched a campaign to bring about ‘fundamental changes’ in the administration of Rwandan football. The group launched its activities on Tuesday evening at Marriot Hotel. They say their objective is to change Rwanda football for the better, starting with youth development programmes. The Rwanda Football Coalition for Change is an alliance of a group of local club owners led by Pepiniere FC president Jean Marie Munyankumburwa. He is deputised by John Uwintwali (La Jeunesse). Raoul Gisanura Ngenzi of Gasabo FC is the secretary for mobilisation, Donatien Nsengimana is secretary general, Rugende FC’s Walter Rubengesa is treasurer, while Fidel Kanamugire (Hope Academy) is the spokesperson. “I think our football is in a pretty bad place at the moment. We have so many problems and there is a need to create a good atmosphere for the sport to flourish,” Kanamugire said on the sidelines of the campaign launch. He noted that, “The quality of football leaves a lot to be desired, and the only way to improve it is by working for the people not for personal interests like is the case under the current Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) leadership.” “In the last ten years, our football has remained stagnant, which is unacceptable because other countries are improving. We need people in FERWAFA who have the best interest of the country at heart. Football is a big sector and it requires to be managed as such,” stated the group spokesman. The group claims that FERWAFA promised to start youth football leagues, including the U13 and U15, but four years later, nothing has been done in that regard. The group has about 25 members who have vowed to identify a suitable candidate to challenge the current FERWAFA president Vincent Nzamwita during the next general elections scheduled for September. Efforts by Times Sport to get a comment from Nzamwita proved futile as he did not answer our calls despite repeated attempts. However, FERWAFA Spokesperson Prosper Ruboneza said, “I am not aware of that coalition or their agenda, so I cannot comment.” Nzamwita was elected as FERWAFA president in January 2014. The former APR FC secretary general beat five other contenders, among them the then incumbent Celestin ‘Abega’ Ntagungira. Nzamwita, standing on the Intare FC ticket, garnered 19 votes out of 37 total votes cast, six more than Rayon Sports candidate Ntagungira, who collected 13 votes. Sec Academy owner Augustin Munyandamutsa got three votes, while Gisanura, who was Ntagungira’s deputy,got one vote as did Unit FC’s Jean Mbanda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw