The construction works for the Ferwafa Hotel are set to finally resume next week, the football governing body has announced. The hotel has been under construction since 2016 but the works were suspended when the building reached halfway. Ferwafa vice-president, Marcel Habyarimana, said that the federation has reached an agreement worth Rwf 2.6 billion with a Chinese contractor to resume the construction works. The planned budget includes the financial support worth Rwf 1. 86 billion donated to Ferwafa in 2017 to finance the completion of the four-star hotel. The Moroccan federation provided the support via FIFA and Ferwafa is guaranteed to get it once the draft contract sent to the world football governing body is approved. Habyarimana revealed that all details regarding the contract with the contractor have been concluded and the final draft of the contract was submitted to FIFA last week for approval before the construction works begin next within a week. “We hope to start construction works within a week. The budget is available and we don’t expect any challenges that could hold back the works unless the contractor has his own reasons that could affect the activity,” Habyarimana said. The hotel is part of the FIFA Goal project development programme aimed at helping developing countries to establish infrastructure and facilities to boost the growth of the game. The planned hotel had initially caused trouble for some former Ferwafa officials including then President Vincent de Gaulle Nzamwita, and his Secretary General Olivier Mulindahabi as well as a consultant, Eng. Adolphe Muhirwa, who were accused of alleged malpractices linked to the tender for the hotel construction. While Nzamwita was cleared of any charges, Mulindahabi and Muhirwa were each handed a six-month jail term for mishandling the project. The first phase of the hotel construction is set to be completed within 10 months and will see 40 rooms built with another 48 rooms to be constructed in other phases Upon completion, the hotel will primarily host the residential camps for national teams of different categories while it will also have offices for rent for various federations which are yet to get their own offices.
