Haruna says Mbuyu should be recalled to Amavubi squad

Amavubi Stars skipper Haruna Niyonzima believes Eric Gasana, better known as Mbuyu Twite, still has a lot to offer to the national team.

Monday, November 18, 2013
Haruna (R) and Mbuyu, (left) have been teammates for many years at club and country level. Times Sport/ File

Amavubi Stars skipper Haruna Niyonzima believes Eric Gasana, better known as Mbuyu Twite, still has a lot to offer to the national team.Niyonzima says head coach Eric Nshimiyimana needs to consider his club teammate in his future plans. The two stars have been together at club level for over five years, first at APR and now at Tanzanian champions Young Africans.Niyonzima says Mbuyu is at the moment enjoying the best form of his life in the Tanzanian league where the DR Congo-born defender was named in the best team for the just-concluded season. Haruna was named Best Player of the Year and best foreign player.  "If I were the (Amavubi) coach, Mbuyu would be one of the first names on my list,” the Young Africans assistant captain said last week.  Mbuyu, 27, has not played for the national team for over a year now after he fell out of favour under former coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic."Mbuyu’s experience is needed in the team but that is not my call; however, if you asked me, I would definitely endorse him because he is enjoying probably his best form ever, he is one of the key players for us (at Young Africans or Yanga) and I think Amavubi need him too,” Haruna added. The national team will continue preparations for the upcoming Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup championship, which gets underway later this month in Kenya.Rwanda was drawn alongside defending champions Uganda, Sudan and Eritrea.On Saturday, Amavubi played out a goalless draw with Uganda Cranes in an international friendly in Kampala.