RNOC holds GA as election's near

The Rwanda National Olympic Committee (RNOC) holds its extra-ordinary general assembly today at Novotel hotel in Kigali. RNOC Jurisdiction committee president Philbert Rutagengwa told Times Sport yesterday that the meeting has been called to create awareness (to members) of the laws governing the local Olympics body ahead of the general elections whose date has not yet been set.

Saturday, November 15, 2008
RNOC BOSS: Ignace Beraho.

The Rwanda National Olympic Committee (RNOC) holds its extra-ordinary general assembly today at Novotel hotel in Kigali.

RNOC Jurisdiction committee president Philbert Rutagengwa told Times Sport yesterday that the meeting has been called to create awareness (to members) of the laws governing the local Olympics body ahead of the general elections whose date has not yet been set.

"We will set the drafted laws that will enable every body who is eager to contest for any post on RNOC executive committee.

"We will also make public the decisive factor for a successful election exercise,” said Rutagengwa.

The extra-ordinary general assembly comes at a time when the incumbent administration led by Ignace Beraho’s two four-year terms in office comes expires with the end of this month.

However, Beraho who has made it clear that he does not intends to run for another term, is being accused by numerous sources as trying to manipulate the committee’s constitution to enable him stand for an unprecedented third term.

After yet another disastrous Olympic Games campaign in Beijing, Beraho revealed that he won’t be seeking a third-term in office after a difficult eight years at the helm but that instead he’s eager to serve Rwandan sports in another capacity.

"I must abide with the election rules stated in the governing structures of the RNOC. I can’t go beyond the two-term limit because it’s me who stimulated this rule,” he said recently.

The authoritarian RNOC boss has embarked on coaching national athletes to realize what he calls his dream of seeing Rwanda win a medal at the 2012 London Games. Some of the athletes under his guidance include Sylvain Rukundo and marathon runner Epiphanie Nyirabarame.

The veteran administrator also says that he has plans to introduce Canoe Kayaking, another Olympic sport in the country.

Ends