The Ministry of Culture and Sports (Minispoc) spokesperson, Olivier Oleg Karambizi, says that the ministry has learned a lesson and will be ‘more careful’ with national team coaches in the future after paying a huge amount of money to former Amavubi custodian Johnny McKinstry for unlawful dismissal.

Through Minispoc, Rwanda on Thursday paid the full amount of money owed to the sacked coach on the orders of world football governing body. Karambizi confirmed to Saturday Sport on Friday, that the $217,195 (about Rwf 196m) had been cleared.

The Irishman was fired as Amavubi head coach in August 2016, after being offered a one-year contract extension two months earlier, following a string of poor results and failing to guide the team to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals tournament, which was held in Gabon.

"We have learned a lesson from this case. It is the first time that it has occurred,and we hope nothing like this ever happens again. We are going to be more careful in the future,” said Karambizi.

McKinstry, 33, guided Rwanda to quarter-finals of the 4th African Nations Championships (CHAN), staged in Rwanda, and the final of the 2015 Cecafa Senior Challenge in Ethiopia.

However, it is also under his tenure that Amavubi dropped in FIFA rankings from the country’s ever best position (68th) to 121st spot.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com