Uganda’s league winners Nemostars is aiming to win the 17th edition of Rwanda Genocide Memorial Volleyball Tournament which gets underway today at Amahoro indoor stadium.Skipper George Aporu leads the 11-man delegation which took part in the Confederation of African Volleyball Men’s Club Championship in Libya last month.Among these are setter Smith Okumu, the center players include Aporu, Eric Ojamuge, Christopher Ajena, Oscar Limtek, Bedincto Omalinga. The outside hitters are Tom Paul Amou, Loius Mubangizi, Kassim Opejo, with Steven Wandera and Anthony Oleuko the other outside hitter who never traveled to Tripoli joining the squad. “Continuity is very important for our future targets,” Aporu said. “It is the participation in such big tournaments against experienced sides that will help us become a formidable side,” Aporu added.In the past, Nemostars has made six appearances at this prestigious event from 2006 through 2011. But this edition is one that the national league champions are looking at to stump their feet as one of the region’s big boys.“We believe we have come of age, are we not mere participants in Kigali but real competitor,” Aporu added. The Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) is sponsoring the two-day event held in memorial of 46 (known) members of the volleyball fraternity.They include players, coaches, and administrators as well as other Rwandans who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. Since 1995, FRVB is one of the federations that has organised annual Genocide memorial tournaments in honor of the victims.APR is defending champion in the men’s category while Rwanda Revenue is defending champion of the previous event in the women’s category tournament.
