Saturday’s game too good too late

In Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier which Rwanda won by beating Liberia 4-0, Michael Nees pinned his faith on Bokota Labama, and the newly-found striker did not disappoint. He repaid his coach’s faith by putting up a formidable performance with a wonder goal, and created several scoring chances for his teammates at Amahoro. Bokota’s first international goal was the highlight of a face-saving game against out-of-sorts Liberia. The win earns Rwanda six points to leapfrog Liberia from the bottom of group IV, and affords some breathing space for under-fire Michael Nees, but cannot do anything for Rwanda’s exit from next year’s African Nations Cup. The fans couldn’t have asked for any more from Nees’ team. Rwanda should have put up Saturday’s performance a little earlier on in the campaign Still, we should not be despondent. It should be a different test altogether when Rwanda takes part in the 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier. The team needs better preparations for this campaign. Beating Liberia could have improved the team’s Fifa and Caf rankings, but sustaining Saturday’s superb performance, to be replicated when it matters most, should be the most urgent item on the agenda. We all hope football administrators realize the importance of smart preparations before such campaigns, and should never fall back on the ugly line of “poor preparations.” Who is responsible for them, pray? 2008 too early for Genocide courts to end? It is fitting that the Genocide-promoting doctors have been put behind bars. Unfortunately, even this does not feel like justice enough. As ghastly as all Genocide crimes go—and there is a school of thought which would say no one crime during 1994 is worse than any other—those committed by the doctors stand out as the cruelest of all human natures. Minds corrupted this badly, hearts so overridden with fungus and decay have no place in this country. The abuse by a doctor, whose sole purpose is to heal and preserve life, goes beyond anything imaginable. The convictions also show that important work is still to be done with regard to Genocide justice, at both the Gacaca and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda levels. 2008 may be too early for both to end. It is never easy to read about these cases. While it is comforting to know that necessary measures are being taken to make certain not one of the million victims dies in vain, it is painfully heartbreaking and draining to be reminded of the incredible cruelty so easily put on display during the Genocide.Ends