Rwanda U20 and U19 men and women’s national handball teams will compete in this year’s Africa Zone 5B International Handball Federation (IHF) challenge tournament scheduled to take place from July 24-31 in Kampala, Uganda.

The biennial tournament attracts the six East African countries namely; Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and South Sudan.

Sylvestre Mudaharishema and Ezechiel Nkusi Muhirwa will be in charge of the men and women’s teams respectively.

Defending champions Uganda in the boys’ category, who also staged the event in 2014 when they went on to win the trophy, will host this year’s tournament following Tanzania’s withdrawal from hosting the event.

"Yes we shall compete in this tournament, and we want to begin early preparations when the league starts next weekend by selecting the players from different clubs to begin their separate training,” said Jean Paul Ngarambe, the local handball federation secretary general.

The national men’s handball league will start this coming weekend, according to Ngarambe.

"We need to use the tournament as a platform preparing for the U19 Africa Youth Championship that shall be held later in September in Mali,” he added.

Rwanda national handball team has not been competitive in recent years which saw them make only one outing last year in the Zone 5 All-Africa Games qualifiers, finishing last in Group A after Kenya and Uganda without winning any game. 

In 2014, Rwanda finished third in both categories, behind Uganda and Kenya (men), and Kenya and Uganda in the women’s category.

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