Topflight club Police have announced the appointment of Vincent Mashami as their new head coach on a two-year deal that will run until June 2024. The 41-year-old has been out of job for the last five months after the local football governing body decided against extending his contract that expired in February, putting an end to his four-year spell as the national team (Amavubi) coach. He returns to the touchline with the law enforcers ahead of next season, replacing Scottish Francis Nuttall Elliott who was shown the exit door after he failed to impress his employers last season. Under the Scot, Police finished sixth in the league while they were also knocked out of the 2022 Peace Cup semi-finals in 2-3 defeat against AS Kigali who eventually went on to lift the title with a 1-0 win over APR in the final. Mashami, who holds both FIFA International and CAF A coaching licenses, is not new in the top flight league, having previously coached Bugesera and local giants APR. His biggest achievement as a coach was at the 2020 African Nations Championships (CHAN) finals when he helped Rwanda to the quarter-finals of the tournament in Cameroon. Besides Mashami’s appointment, the Rwanda National Police also made new changes in the club management with ACP Yahaya Kamunuga becoming the club chairman, whereas ACP (Rtd) Bosco Rangira and (SP) Regis Ruzindana will assist him as first and second vice-chairman, respectively. The changes were made in the institution’s fresh attempt to improve the performance and competitiveness of the club.
