Saturday

Warm-up game

Musanze 0-1 SC Kiyovu

Azam RwandaPremier League side Musanze FC will use a budget amounting to Rwf180 million next season, which gets underway on October 19, Times Sport has learnt.

Of the Rwf180 million, it is reported that Musanze District has pumped Rwf100m into the budget for the 2018/2019 season while the rest will come from partners and league sponsors, Azam.

Cetraf Ltd will sponsor the team to a tune of Rwf21.5m while Clean Well Ltd will pump in Rwf15m. Urwunge Ltd have agreed to add Rwf10m while district employees will contribute Rwf6m. The team will receive another Rwf12m from Azam.

The club chairman, Placide Tuyishimire, who is also the owner of Cetrat Ltd, said that the more financially stable they will be in the upcoming season, the more it will reflect in the team’s general performance.

"We want to help our team to be stable, so we can finish in top four next season,” Tuyishimire said at a news conference held in Musanze District on Saturday.

Last season, the Musanze district-sponsored side ran on a Rwf125m budget, which was entirely funded by the district.

Musanze FC appointed Emmanuel Ruremesha in August, formerly with Etincelles, as their head coach ahead of new season, and was tasked to guide the team to a top four finish next season.

In the 2017-18 league season, which concluded in June, Ruremesha inspired Etincelles to a fourth position finish, the highest position the Rubavu-based club has registered since 2012 when they finished in second place.

Meanwhile, Musanze lost 1-0 to SC Kiyovu in a warm-up game on Saturday.

Defender, Placide Rwabuhihi was the lone scorer.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw