The Minister of Sports and Culture Joseph Habineza has applauded Raoul Shungu for making a "wise decision” to resign from the Amavubi Stars assistant coaching role.

Reacting to Shungu’s shock decision, Habineza told Times Sport yesterday that he (Shungu) made a wise decision to resign considering what is at stake.

"Shungu was hired on a special arrangement. First, a national team coach should not be picked from a club but we picked him to assist the head coach (Branko Tucak) regardless of his coaching post at Rayon Sport.

"He (Shungu) has played a pivotal role in the development of football in Rwanda and I believe he has made the right decision to resign from that post and concentrate on his club duties.

"He made really a wise choice and this will allow him to concentrate and prepare his club which is among favorites to win the national league title this year,” Habineza said.

DR Congo born Shungu resigned from his post with less than three weeks before Rwanda hosts Algeria in the opening fixture of the third and final round of the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifier on March 28.

He cited personal reasons for his resignation and was not willing to give the details before the (resignation) has been accepted or denied by the local football federation, Ferwafa.

The Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa failed to make any official statement about Shungu’s resignation but said, "We are yet to study the letter. But we are going to hold a meeting and come up with a final decision on his decision to resign.”

Both Tucak and Shungu have been at loggerheads even before the Amavubi Stars reached this far in their 2010 World/Africa Nations’ Cup qualifying campaign.

Shungu’s resignation comes as the Amavubi Stars intensify their training ahead of Algeria game in Kigali.

Rwanda is drawn alongside Algeria, Egypt and Zambia in Group C of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

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