Who's who in Rayon's interim leadership?

A new five-member interim committee has been appointed to run Rayon Sports for the next three months, with a mandate to oversee key reforms to restore stability and strengthen the club’s management. The committee assumed duties on Tuesday, November 25, after Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) decided to dissolve all existing governance organs at the club due to long-standing leadership problems that have disrupted performance, internal cohesion, and the club’s role in national sports development. ALSO READ: Rayon leadership dissolved as Murenzi is picked to lead interim team The transitional administration is chaired once again by Abdallah Murenzi, who previously led a similar interim team in 2020. Other members are Jean-Bosco Nubumwe, Jose Akayezu, Olivier Gakwaya, and Jean-Baptiste Musabyimama. Weekend Sport looks at who is who in the committee inherited to take office in the transition period. Abdallah Murenzi Abdallah Murenzi is a familiar and experienced figure within Rayon Sports’ leadership structures, returning to the helm of the club’s transitional administration for a second time. He first served as interim president in 2020, following the dissolution of the club’s leadership under Sadate Munyakazi by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) over concerns of mismanagement. ALSO READ : Rayon fans back leadership overhaul as interim committee assumes office Beyond football administration, Murenzi has held influential leadership roles in national sports and public governance. He served as President of the Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) from June 2022 until August 2023 when he stepped down amid controversies surrounding alleged favouritism in decision-making. He was also the Mayor of Nyanza District between 2009 and 2016—a tenure during which he also took charge of Rayon Sports in the 2012/13 season, leading the club to a league title. Murenzi is additionally recognized as a leadership expert, youth advisor, and sports advisor. Josee Akayezu Born in Nyanza, Josee Akayezu became a Blue at the age of 15 and has remained an active member of its fan community for many years. Before her appointment to the interim committee, she was elected to the club’s audit committee during the November 2024 elections and was involved in several prominent fan clubs, including Blue Winners, Les Bleus du Sud, and most recently March Generation. Holding a master’s degree in finance, Akayezu currently serves as an Inspector (Audit) Officer at the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), bringing 17 years of experience in auditing and financial management. Her leadership experience also includes a term as Treasurer of the Rwanda Basketball Federation from 2007 to 2010. A former athlete herself, Akayezu played professional basketball for KIE Basketball Club between 2000 and 2006 and also spent two years playing volleyball for Les Colombes. She is married to former national basketball player Cyrille Kalima, and the couple has four children. Jean-Baptiste Musabyimama Jean-Baptiste Musabyimama is a seasoned businessman with a specialization in animal production, operating through his company ABUSOL LTD (Agri-Business Solutions). His professional background is supported by academic training in project management and economics, which he pursued in France. Musabyimama is far from a newcomer to Rayon Sports. He previously served as the club’s Secretary General from 1997 to 2003, a period marked by one of the most iconic achievements in the club’s history, winning the 1998 CECAFA Kagame Cup in Zanzibar, where Rayon Sports defeated Mlandege 2–1 in the final. Deeply rooted in the club’s fan community, Nsabimana currently leads two major supporter groups—the Rocket Fan Club and the Rutsiro Family. Jean-Bosco Nubumwe Jean-Bosco Nubumwe is a lawyer by profession and a long-time supporter of Rayon Sports, with a passion for the club that dates back to his childhood in the 1980s. Growing up in Nyanza District, he was introduced to the Blues by his parents, who regularly took him to watch matches—a tradition that nurtured his deep and lasting attachment to the club. He built his career in the legal field, first serving as a government prosecutor before transitioning into private practice as a lawyer. His professional background equips him with strong legal and governance experience, valuable assets at a time when Rayon Sports is undergoing administrative restructuring. Beyond his legal career, Nubumwe has always kept close ties with sports. He played football during his primary and secondary school years. As part of the new interim committee, Nubumwe brings a blend of legal expertise, institutional understanding, and lifelong loyalty to Rayon Sports—qualities expected to contribute significantly to the club’s reform and stabilization efforts. Olivier Gakwaya Olivier Gakwaya is a familiar figure within Rayon Sports’ leadership structures, having previously served multiple times as the club’s Secretary General. He held the position during key administrative eras, including under Theogene Ntampaka (2013–2015) and Chance Denys Gacinya (2015–2016). His tenure coincided with two of the club’s most successful recent campaigns, as Rayon Sports clinched the league titles in 2014 and 2016. Beyond his football leadership experience, Gakwaya brings a strong professional background in finance and public administration. Since May 2024, he has been serving as an Accountant in the Office of the Ombudsman, having previously worked in the institution’s Budget and Finance Department from January 2004 to August 2023. Before joining the Ombudsman’s Office, Gakwaya served as Head of Finance and Logistics at the Rwanda Constitutional Commission between January 2001 and December 2003. He also gained earlier professional experience in Finance and Logistics at the European Financial Development Fund (EDF).