Patrick Kavalo Akumuntu has agreed to a new contract at Gisagara volleyball club until 2022, the club announced on Sunday.

Kavalo, 28, joined the two-time champions from UTB in 2018.

"We decided to extend his contract for another two years as one of our best players,” Pierre Marshal Kwizera, Gisagara head coach, told this publication in a telephone interview. 

"He has been a key member of the squad this season and we hope he will continue to perform at the highest level and get to mentor younger players at the club as well.”

The veteran centre-blocker also revealed that the club hoped to renew contracts for a number of other players including skipper Flavien Ndamukunda, Gibril Amadou Doudou, Ballack Rugira and Olivier Karangwa.

Kavalo is plying his trade at Gisagara for a second stint having won the 2016/17 league title with the Gisagara District-sponsored outfit before he crossed to UTB.

The star left-attacker also previously won two championships with now-defunct UNIK.

Kavalo’s club career

Kavalo officially started his senior volleyball career with UR- CoE (formerly KIE) in 2010 where he played for two seasons before joining UNIK, featuring for the Ngoma-based side till 2014 when he switched to Lycee de Nyanza.

He rejoined UNIK early 2015, this time helping them to two consecutive league titles in 2015 and 2016 before moving to Gisagara for the 2016/2017 season where he inspired the then newly formed club to their maiden league title.

Kavalo is also a three-time reigning champion of the national beach volleyball championship, along with his long-time teammate Olivier Ntagengwa.

The duo represented Rwanda and Africa at the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.