Work on Rwanda’s second stadium Stade Regional de Kigali, Nyamirambo has been completed and it will be ready for use, come next season that kicks off on November 17. According to Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa, the work on the stadium that had stalled for sometime is complete and awaits approval from the Ministry of Sports. The federation and the ministry are set to hold a consultative meeting tomorrow in which the latter is expected to give a go ahead for the stadium to be open to the public. The delay for the completion of the stadium followed similar work on Burundi’s main stadium Prince Louis Rwagasore. “The work on the stadium was expected to take off early this year. However, due to the same kind of work that was going on in Burundi, it couldn’t take off here,” a Ferwafa source said, adding that, “We wouldn’t have the technical people to do that kind of work in the two neighbouring countries.” After finishing their work in Burundi, the team headed straight to Rwanda, the source further added. Work on the installation of an artificial turf was set to start at the Stade Regional de Kigali, Nyamirambo in January under Fifa’s “Win in Africa with Africa” initiative. Similar projects have been extended to regional countries like Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania. The Goal Programme inspired by Fifa President Joseph Sepp Blatter was launched for the 1999-2002 period with funds amounting to Swiss Francs100 million. The programme then graduated to the Goal II stage, again with a similar amount available for the 2003-2006 period. The programme targets to financially benefit underprivileged associations, by providing headquarters, natural and artificial turf pitches, training and education centres and other facilities essential to a basic infrastructure. Fifa had targeted its member associations to have their own Houses of Football by the year 2006.Ends
