Midfielder Muhadjiri Hakizimana says he will only accept a short-term contract for his next club, arguing that shorter deals help him stay focused and perform at his best. The Rwanda international became a free agent in October after mutually parting ways with Police FC, ending a four-year spell at the club he joined in 2021. “Wherever I play next, I won’t sign for a club beyond six months, and that club will be happy because I perform well and seriously when I am on a short-term contract,” he told Isibo Radio. Hakizimana explained that extended contracts can sometimes lead to complacency. “Most of the time, when you sign a contract of two years, you are not serious enough. But if you want to prove your worth, I think a one-year or six-month deal helps you,” he added . The Rubavu-born midfielder revealed he has been taking a short break from football to focus on himself, but hinted that he could return to action during the January transfer window. Hakizimana’s career has been marked by both impressive achievements and challenging moments for club and country. In his prime, he featured for almost every major club in Rwanda—except Rayon Sports, whom he declined twice due to disagreements over sign-on fees. He helped APR FC win several titles, including the 2017/18 league championship, a season in which he was also named Player of the Year. The 31-year-old additionally lifted Peace Cup trophies with AS Kigali and Police FC. On the international stage, he made his Amavubi debut on November 3, 2016, during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and scored his first national team goal in a 1-1 draw against Ghana. One of his standout moments came in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, when he scored two goals in each leg in back-to-back victories over Seychelles—one of the finest individual performances by a Rwandan player in recent qualifiers. However, Hakizimana has not been selected for the national team since January 2024, when then-coach Frank Spittler dropped him from the squad.
