Category: Sports

Muvunyi Criff Hassan, a disabled Rwandan athlete won gold medal yesterday in the men’s 400 meter race in Maputo in the “All African Games” after using 50 seconds and 30 half’s.

He is the first Rwandan to bring home a gold medal in the men’s 400meter race.

Muvunyi said that it’s of great joy to represent Rwanda and that his victory is for all Rwandans.
Surprises came to many as the Rwandan songs were played in recognition of his victory.

Muvunyi, however, called on fellow citizens for extra support to the disabled in the sports sector adding that “After all we can make it like the rest of the Athletes”.

Muvunyi had earlier won Silver medal in the 800meter race in the same competition.
Hopes for Ndayisenga Jean Claude to do wonders are high as he will represent Rwanda in the 200meter race.

Meanwhile Mukasekindi Claudette emerged on the 5th position in the women’s 10,000 meter race.

Muvunyi criff Hassan, the gold medal winner has already won himself a ticket to the next year Olympic Games scheduled in UK. The All African Games will end on 18th September 2011.

The Secretary General of FERWAFA Kalisa Jules(photo below) has just told Igihe.com that he has resigned from active duty as secretary general of the football governing body.

Kalisa resigned from his position today during an extraordinary General Assembly of the committee that was scheduled to discuss Brig. Gen Jean Bosco Kazura’s resignation.

Kalisa joined FERWAFA in 2000 and became Chief Executive Officer in 2006, during his tenure they managed to promote Rwandan football.

Kalisa says he has resigned due to personal reasons and has been replaced by Maitre Rwagatare Janvier.

This is another blow to FERWAFA following the resignation of Brig. Gen.Kazura who resigned Monday from his position as the chairman of the Fédération Rwandaise de Football Association (FERWAFA).

His resignation letter availed to the press read in part “I am happy to inform you that due to my personal reasons, I have resigned as the President of FERWAFA with effect from 12/09/2011.

“I am so thankful for your efforts in all that have been achieved during the years that I have guided FERWAFA as well as your kind support in the development of football in Rwanda.” He concluded.

Gen. Kazura(appearing in photo below) has guided FERWAFA since 2006 and he was in his second term which was due to end in 2013.

Since taking over, so many things have been achieved like being able to have Rwanda U-17 national football team finish second in the Africa U-17 Championship where it earned an automatic ticket to compete in the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Mexico.

Jean Bosco Kazura is a Rwandan, born and educated in Burundi, he was involved in the military campaign launched by the Rwandan Patriotic Front to end of 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Later he served as deputy commander of the African union peacekeeping force in the Darfur region of Sudan.

During his first term, Rwanda successfully hosted the 2009 African Youth Championship and four years later he was unopposed in an election for FERWAFA presidency.

Owing to his resignation there is an extraordinary General Assembly which will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2011 (Federation’s Headquarters) at 10.00 AM apparently to nominate and elect Gen. Kazura’s replacement and discuss any other pertinent issues concerning the football federation.

Sellas Tetteh a Ghanaian has resigned as Amavubi coach, FERWAFA said in a press release.

This comes after few days the National team (Amavubi) was whipped five goals by the Elephants of Cote d’voire who have secured their ticket to the finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

In the statement in his letter to FERWAFA, Tetteh pointed out that, “I have resigned as Amavubi head coach because of personal reasons,”
He added,”I thank the Rwanda Football Federation, the ministry of youth, sports and culture and all for their support during my tenure.”

Tetteh had signed a two-year contract in February last year to guide the Amavubi Stars through the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers but has ever since failed to make an impact as Rwanda have won only one of five matches in the competition.

During his short stint, Tetteh managed to qualify Rwanda to the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in Sudan early this year and also guided the side to the quarterfinals of the CECAFA Challenge Cup held in Tanzania last year.

Rwanda’s National team, Amavubi was whipped five goals by the Elephants of Cote d’voire’s. The Rwandan team must atleast win their last fixture against Benin in Porto-Novo or they will finish last in Group H.

East African Community Military sports and culture tournament was officially launched August 16 at Rwagasore Stadium in Bujumbura.

The event officially opened by Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza was attended by a delegation of 500 players from the five community member states Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

In attendance also were Dr. Richard Sezibera, the East African Community Secretary General along with the Army chiefs of staff from each of the participating countries and cabinet ministers from Burundi.

The tournament is taking place in celebration of 10 years of the EAC Defence sector cooperation under the theme “One People, One Destiny: Yet another Decade for Deeper EAC Defence Cooperation”.

According to ministry of defence website, Rwanda is represented by a delegation of 106 male and female players under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga.

The games to be played will involve five disciplines; basketball (men), netball (women), handball (men and women), football (men) and cross country marathon (men and women) of which Rwanda will take part in all.

“The military are not only trained to handle the trigger but to participate actively in sports and culture, to contribute to the construction of their country, and rehabilitation of the society and the environment,” President Nkurunziza noted in his commencement speech.

“With the rising threat of international terrorism and creeping instability in a multiplicity of hotspots around the world, the issues of defence and security have assumed a greater importance and significance in the agenda of nations and indeed the agenda of groupings of nations such as ours,” Amb. Sezibera said in his opening discourse.

The East African Military games are an annual event that have been taking place since 2005 and most recently took place in Rwanda in 2009.

The games kicked off with a football match between Tanzania and Burundi in which Burundi beat their Tanzanian counterparts 4 goals to nil. The games are scheduled to end on August 27.

By: marcel Nzabamwita

AZAM FC yesterday whipped Rayon Sports 3-1. Clad in green jerseys and black shorts,the Azams dominated the game aganist an all blue and white Rayon sports team in a game at Amahoro stadium last evening.

The game started with an over confident Sekamana Leandre of Rayon Sports making an attempt to have the first goal on the 8th minute that was narrowly pushed over the bar by Obren Cuckovic guarding the Azam goal.

Rayon Sports maintained an aggressive offencive although Abdul Junior failed to reap returns from the beautiful passes sloted to him. Team captain Sina Jerome made an attempt on target that was gracefully captured by the Serb Azam goalkeeper.

The Azams soon reclaimed domination of the game with several goal attempts that were all fruitless until the 43rd minute when Waihab Yahya took advantage of a disorganized Rayon Sports defense and scored an easy goal putting the greens in the lead for the first half.

Rayon Sports came from half time break with technical changes where Eric Nsengimana was substituted out for Abed Makasi while Abdul Junior was also substituted out.

The second half brought out a vulnerable Rayon sports with a weak core and disoriented game plan. This led to a second goal by Azam player Mrisho Ngassa in the 53rd minute after effortlessly dribbling through the defense and stinging a strong shot that rocked the net.

What Azam FC did not have in stature of the players they made up for in fluid passes and flawless communication.

Mwadim Ally substituted in for Ramadhan Chomroso on the 67th minute and only 2 minutes later scored the third goal that definitively established Azam’s superiority over Rayon Sports.

Rayon Sports made it’s feeble attempt to rise from the ashes on the 72nd minute when Abedi Makasi maneuvered through Azam’s defense wall scoring Rayon’s single goal bringing disappointed fans back to life with shouts of jubilation.

This is Rayon Sports’ first game as the new team in preparation for the upcoming season and the poor communication seen on the pitch was simply because of the lack of familiarity with each other that the team hopes to build as the season goes on.

Jean Marie Ntagwabira (Rayon Sport Coach) said, “There are many things the team was capable of during training that they failed to do during the match and so I am pleased that I have been able to practice with the new team in a real game.”

“I have quickly noted the capable players that I will sign in the team. As you saw most of the team was made of foreigners but as I said I won’t exceed 6 foreign players and so I now have an idea of who to pick,” he added.

“As you have seen my team is not yet playing as a team and they still need a lot of training. I can’t blame them for it and Iam also looking forward to the mini-tournament that will take place in Gisenyi this weekend which will help me evaluate the team and decide who to sign and who to let go,” he disclosed to the press.

By: Marcel Nzabamwita

While the buzz of player transfers that have allegedly taken place continues to fill the media, FERWAFA has taken a surprise move and informed all the First Division teams that no player is officially transferred yet.

In an announcement posted on the FERWAFA website the secretary general’s office has warned all teams, “After reading and hearing what has been said, that some teams have signed different players, the federation would like to inform the public that this is not true. We would like to remind all First division teams that there are 22 days left for all transfers to be complete” the announcement continues.”

FERWAFA also declares that no foreign player will be officially transferred without showing the ITC card accredited by FIFA.

This announcement comes after several teams have publicly announced transfers of players. FERWAFA doesn’t recognize transfers until the bureaucratic procedures have been sufficiently complied to.

Every team is only allowed a maximum of 5 foreign players on the line-up for a game. The official transfer window closes on September 8, 2011.

APR FC have confirmed news of hiring of René Hiddink as the new assistant coach to Ernie Brandts.

“It is confirmed that we are signing René Hiddink to be assistant coach. He arrived on Friday and will be serving a two-year renewable contract,” Adolph Kalisa, the secretary general of APR FC told Igihe.com.

“Our objective as a team is to win the Rwandan championship, the regional CECAFA and to reach in CAF. It’s been a long time since we reached the CAF semi-finals and we want to bring back that glory and progress as far as possible,” he added.

However, Kalisa declined to comment on the salary of the new assistant coach saying it’s not necessary to make it public.

René Hiddink was previously the assistant coach of FC Dordrecht, a professional football team in Netherlands. He has worked before with Ernie Brandts at Da Graafschap, also in Netherlands.

He is a brother to the renowned coach Guus Hiddink who was a coach in Chelsea FC, the South Korean national team and several other teams.

APR FC started it’s training this morning, in preparation for the upcoming preseason games which start on 7th September and the PRIMUS cup which starts on 17th September.