Rwanda coy on hosting 2009 Kagame Cup

Rwanda remains serene after being tipped to host the 35th edition of Cecafa/ Kagame club championship next January.Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa yesterday said that hosting the event will depend on the Ministry of Sports.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sports Minister Joseph Habineza must decide whether Rwanda can host both the Africa Youth Championship and the Kagame Cup in the same month. (L), Ferwafa CEO Jules Kalisa.(R)

Rwanda remains serene after being tipped to host the 35th edition of Cecafa/ Kagame club championship next January.
Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa yesterday said that hosting the event will depend on the Ministry of Sports.

"To host such an event would depend on the Ministry of Sports because without the support of the government, we can’t,” Kalisa said before noting that the country already has its hands full owing to the fact that it’s going to host the African Youth Championships next year.

"Presently, our focus is on the Youth Championship,” the official added.

According to the Secretary General of the Confederation of East and Central African Football Association (Cecafa) Nicholas Musonye, Rwanda heads the hosting pack owing to her good history of organizing such events.

Musonye will meet with Ferwafa next week to reach a consensus about the issue.

Burundi had been fronted as possible hosts but Cecafa ruled them out over lack of proper facilities.

Cecafa wants next year’s edition to be held in January unlike this year’s event which was pushed to July after Sudan’s last minute withdrawal to host the championship.

Rwanda hosted the 2004 and 2007 Kagame Cup editions and APR; the nine-time national league champions won both editions but have since struggled.

This year, APR failed to progress to the semi-finals after being ousted by Simba in the quarter-finals.

In three matches, the military side managed just a draw against Yanga before losing to modest Zanzibar side Miembeni and Simba.

Ends