One of the country’s biggest football clubs, Rayon Sports, is in the doldrums again, but most importantly, Sadate Munyakazi, who was controversially ousted as club president yesterday, has landed in hot water again. Yesterday he began the day by writing a long letter to the Head of State begging him to intervene as some dark forces were trying to destroy the club. He blamed members of the former leadership of the club of being behind the club’s troubles that also involved embezzlement and lack of accountability. Munyakazi must have felt that the list of accusations did not go deep enough, it lacked a political ingredient; he claimed that those fighting him were linked to illegal armed groups including the Rwanda National Congress (RNC). As if Munyakazi did not have enough on his plate, he was already serving a six-month ban by Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) for incitement. There is no doubt that Rayon Sports is by far the most popular club and has a frenzied fan base. Maybe it is that fact that goes to the heads of every incoming leadership of the club; they feel they are special, untouchable. They think they have a sense of entitlement. What is for sure is that the club is neck-deep in internal administrative trouble which does not necessarily call for the intervention of the Head of State. In fact, FIFA strictly forbids governments’ interference in football matters. The in-fighting in Rayon is legendary and has been its undoing. As long as egos continue to run the club it will continue missing the rendezvous with history yet it has what it takes to be a great club. One of the ways the club can get out of this mess is for those in charge to return to the drawing board, put in place clear administrative and leadership structures, devise clear mechanisms to leverage their huge fan base, and even consider bringing on-board a partner in the form of a key shareholder. This, coupled with transparency and accountability, would help turn things around and see the club start to run as a proper business
