Burundian-Rwandan veteran coach Gilbert “Yaoundé” Kanyankore has died at the age of 72. News of his death emerged on Saturday evening, although the cause of death had not been confirmed at the time of publication. Reports indicate that Kanyankore, who retired from professional coaching in 2025, had been battling cancer. Kanyankore was one of the most respected football figures in East Africa, particularly in Rwanda and Burundi. During a distinguished coaching career, he managed several clubs in the region, including APR FC, Rayon Sports and Kiyovu Sports in Rwanda, as well as Burundi giants Vital’O FC. He also coached the Rwanda national team, Amavubi, in 2016 and led Rwanda B to a historic CECAFA triumph. At Vital’O, Kanyankore enjoyed a particularly successful spell, helping the club win 21 trophies and cementing his status as one of the most influential figures in its history. Kanyankore was born in Huye District in Rwanda’s Southern Province in 1954 before moving to Burundi with his family at a young age. He spent most of his formative years in Burundi, where he completed his secondary education before pursuing further studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It was in the DRC that he began his football journey. After training in sports physiotherapy—a profession he later practised in Burundi—he became actively involved in both playing and coaching. Kanyankore began his coaching career in 1989 as an assistant coach at Vital’O FC before eventually taking charge of the club. He went on to coach Vital’O for three decades, becoming one of the longest-serving and most decorated coaches in the region.
