After years of sowing discontent, FERWAFA finds itself at a crossroads

Rwanda’s football governing body, FERWAFA, has spent years sowing seeds of discontent among rival fan bases, and now it must reap what it has sown. The time has come to lie in the bed they have laid. The chaos that erupted at Bugesera Stadium last Saturday when enraged Rayon Sports fans hurled stones onto the pitch in protest of refereeing decisions marked yet another low point for Rwandan football. ALSO READ: Bugesera vs Rayon game halted amid fans protest as APR move top The match, abandoned just seven minutes into the second half with the hosts leading 2-0, wasn’t merely an instance of hooliganism. It was the eruption of long-simmering frustrations and a symptom of deeper, structural issues, with FERWAFA squarely at the centre. I don’t mean to sound simplistic, but in an ideal world, an efficient football association would have the ability and the will to decisively address the chronic issues plaguing Rwandan football. But since we don’t live in an ideal world, maybe we’re asking too much. Since FERWAFA is mandated to govern the sport, it is the custodian of the rules, the guardian of fairness, and the architect of football’s development in Rwanda. Yet, it has growingly become the mecca of public distrust. Accusations of corruption, match-fixing, and institutional bias, have stained the integrity of the game and alienated the fans. What you saw with Rayon Sports fans is a representation, and or feeling of the wider fanbase in Rwandan football. I have been around Rwandan football for over two decades, and trust me when I say, for all these years, so much has been done but nothing has changed, while incompetence at the top of the federation administration, has been a constant factor. ALSO READ: MINISPORTS to probe fans’ protests in Bugesera FC vs Rayon match A federation that should serve as a neutral and authoritative referee. Last weekend’s incident highlights how fans are no longer just discontented; they are disillusioned. Football touches emotions, and believe me, when these emotions boil over, the outcome is what we witnessed in Bugesera. FERWAFA’s track record on dealing with such issues is dismal. Despite allegations of match-fixing fermenting for years, it took immense pressure to impose lifetime bans on three referees, one of whom, now claims she never received formal communication. Her last assignment was two years ago, she asserts! The inconsistency and lack of transparency only deepen public suspicion. Fans believe decisions are made not based on justice, but on convenience. Even more damaging is the lack of a clear, strategic vision. Rwanda’s football continues to stagnate, if not regress steadily, under the successive FERWAFA leadership. Attendance is down; investment is low. Standards are down; Competitiveness levels are down. Officiation is very poor. All this has led to disgruntled fans resorting to violence to have their voice heard. Very sad. The national team’s performance remains lacklustre, but worst of all, the federation seems more preoccupied with (mis)managing crises than growing the sport that we all love. Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire spoke out on the Bugesera incident and her condemnation is welcome, but rhetoric without reform is futile. FERWAFA has repeatedly demonstrated its inability or unwillingness to address the root causes of football’s dysfunction in Rwanda. The time for cosmetic changes is over. Rwanda's football badly needs fundamental change. I am not a fan of government intervention is sports administration but seeing where local football is heading, with fans resorting to taking the law in their own hands, I think I can be allowed to change my mind. ALSO READ: FERWAFA bans three referees over alleged match-fixing The government must consider a bold step; a well-funded, independent commission of inquiry to investigate the state of football governance in Rwanda. Too much rot on and off the field. FERWAFA cannot reform itself. It has proven, time and again that it lacks the credibility to restore trust. The problem is, when the government intervenes, FIFA, who feel only accountable to themselves, will step in because they are averse to being answerable to anyone. Public perception, fuelled by accusations of favouritism and corruption, portrays FERWAFA as a corrupt institution shielded from state oversight due to FIFA rules. There's also a feeling that FERWAFA, for all intent and purpose, lack a clear, long-term vision for Rwandan football, leading to a consistent decline not just in the standards of the national league but also the national team's performance as well as the stadium attendance. And you could say, there is a lot happening in local football that is exposing FERWAFA’s weaknesses. For me, this is what Rwanda's football need(ed) in order for the problems to be exposed. After years of sowing seeds of discontent among rival fans, FERWAFA is now at a crossroads. Rwanda’s footballing future depends on more than stopping violence at stadiums. Crucially, the time is now to address the root cause of this violence, which has shocked the football fraternity beyond the Rwandan borders, for, it's uncharacteristic of us, and what we represent. We shouldn't be so naive to assume that the violence at Bugesera Stadium just erupted suddenly. It's a culmination of pilled anger. Rwandan football demands complete overhaul of the structures that govern the sport, with FERWAFA front and centre of that transformation. And, if football is to be a unifying force in Rwanda, the federation that governs it must be transparent and accountable. Right now, FERWAFA is none of those things, and until that has changed, the chaos on the pitch will only mirror the chaos at the top.