Ferwafa president Olivier Nizeymana has said that it is time Rwandan football became a product that football clubs can profit from. Nizeyimana became the president of the football governing body after winning the elections unopposed with 52 votes out of a possible 59, during the elections held on Sunday, June 27. He was contesting for the top position against veteran referee Louis Rurangirwa but the latter pulled out on the Election Day, accusing the electoral commission of irregularities and violating rules of the election. After the elections, Nizeyimana said that Rwanda’s football deserves more in terms of self-financing and pledged that, with support from the federation’s members, that financial problems that shaped the game can be solved sooner or later. “If we put in place what we have drafted in our manifesto, I am confident that we can, sooner or later, build a football brand that can sell and get out of the long-standing financial instability that characterized our clubs for years,” he said. Some clubs have for years been struggling with financial instability, something that has led to failure of payment of players wages and other stipends due to lack of resources. However, Nizeyimana, a renowned businessman, said he and his committee will work closely with the federations members to build a football brand that brings enough resources to sustain their demands. “We want to build a product that we can sell. I have lived in a football environment where clubs’ owners, managers are always worried about the future of their clubs due to financial struggles. Some don’t look happy in their faces, whether their teams win or lose, just because they are struggling to keep their clubs up and running. With their support, we hope to achieve what we pledged to do during our term,” he added. The former Mukura VS President replaces outgoing Rtd Brig Gen. Jean-Damascene Sekamana who resigned in April this year after he said he was no longer able to juggle both his personal responsibilities and the demands of administering the federation. Some of immediate solutions related to football financing include revisiting Ferwafa’s current sponsorship status where Nizeyimana revealed that the federation is soon reviewing the existing sponsorship deal with league official sponsor Bralirwa or else a new sponsor with a bigger offer will be welcomed given that a big number of federation’s members showed discontent of Bralirwa’s offer. The new executive committee Olivier Mugabo Nizeyimana: President Marcel Matiku Habyarimana: Vice President Chantal Habiyakare: Head of Finance Commission Arthur Cyamwenshi: Executive Committee member in charge of Marketing and Sponsorships Richard Gasana : Executive Committee member in charge of Competitions Commission IP Chantal Umutoni: Executive Committee member in charge of Security and Fair Play Commission Edmond Marc Nkusi: Executive Committee member in charge of Technical Development Commission Diane Tumutoneshe: Executive Committee member in charge of Women Football Commission Delphine Uwanyirigira: Executive Committee member in charge of Legal Commission Lt. Col. Herbert Gatsinzi: Executive Committee member in charge of Medical Commission
