Local sports media practitioners should have every reason to worry after Youth, Culture and Sports Minister declared a ‘slow but sure’ approach towards their ‘business’.Joseph Habineza delivered the shocking blow after he had become the ‘man in the news’ in local sports circles in recent weeks for his involvement in a failed pledge (together with Lotto Rwanda) to bring European based professional football (past and present) including Zinedine Zidane and Samuel Eto’ among other to the country.“After what I have gone through with some of you (journalists) recently, I’ve come to a conclusion that, may be I should change my attitude concerning the way I interact (talk) with the media,” Habineza gave in. The minister, seemingly angry (with a few individual journalists whom he fell just short of naming) was addressing a press conference held at Ferwafa headquarters on Wednesday.Despite the occasions being called purposely to unveil the new Amavubi Stars head coach Josip Kuze to the local press, journalists had the chance to ask questions concerning other sports related issues. “I’ve always been so free with the media but it seems some of you have taken to abusing it (good relationship between the minister and the media). I can’t take it anymore,” the minister declared.Quoting a few selected incidences and the sources but without naming the authors, Habineza complained of how particular journalists have, like he put it, “consistently misquoted me”. “But from now on, I am not going to talk to you anymore about anything. Every time you call me, the best I would be doing would be to direct you to someone else,” he stressed.However, after exhausting his frustration towards particular individuals and declaring his newly adopted ‘slow and sure’ approach towards the media, the minister seemed to contradict his earlier declaration.When he said, “Anyway, I don’t think I can afford not to take you calls because that’s not my nature. I’ll be your calls taking but when it comes to commenting on certain issues, I’d be a lot conscious.”Kazura finally gives in For so long, Brig. Gen. John Bosco Kazura has had a patchy relationship with the local media he had taken to giving audience to a some while giving blackout to others.But the Ferwafa president told the press, “Ferwafa needs the media and we want to work with you as partners.”“I have no problem with anybody criticizing me or Ferwafa if the criticism is based on facts but if you sit there and start writing or saying things without facts, then it becomes a problem,” he added.Ends
