RWANDA’s assistant referee Celestin Ntagungira a.k.a Abegga has been picked to officiate at next month’s Africa Nations’ Cup finals in Angola.

Ntagungira is among 32 officials to officiate at Africa’s most prestigious football tournament.

"I’m delighted that I have been picked to officiate at the Angola CAN finals,” Ntagungira said, adding that he is looking forward to do what he normally does best in his career come next January.

Ntagungira must maintain his fitness as a final Cooper Test awaits the selected referees in January before the tournament kick-off to ensure that only the fit take to the field.

Ntagungira’s confirmation comes a month after he passed medical examinations and physical fitness tests in Cairo, Egypt.

The 43-year-old has officiated at major global championship. Last year, he was picked by Fifa to work along side Evariste Menkouande (Cameroon) and centre referee Coffi Codjia (Benin) at the 2008 Fifa Club World Championship held in Yokohama, Japan. He also officiated at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Ntagungira, who has been refereeing since 1997, made his international debut in 2001. The highlight of his career so far as been officiating at the 2006 World Cup in Germany as well as the 2006 and 2008 Africa Nations Cup.

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