He may have been a dictator or killer or even a savage at least in the eyes of his detractors, especially in the western world, but the fact is Col. Muammar Gaddafi didn’t deserve to die the way he died—like a stray dog!Ideally, had Col. Gaddafi not died, or at least the way he met his death angel, this article was going to be dedicated to the new Ferwafa president,
He may have been a dictator or killer or even a savage at least in the eyes of his detractors, especially in the western world, but the fact is Col. Muammar Gaddafi didn’t deserve to die the way he died—like a stray dog!
Ideally, had Col. Gaddafi not died, or at least the way he met his death angel, this article was going to be dedicated to the new Ferwafa president, what is expected of him and whether he has the potential to meet the [high] expectations of Rwandans as far as their football is concerned.
Both Gaddafi and his son were filmed or photographed alive and relatively uninjured after their capture on Thursday, before both died of multiple gunshot wounds.There are numerous but varying accounts as how and who exactly killed the former Libyan leader, whose death was greeted with mixed reaction.
YouTube videos show his son Mutassim being interrogated by his captors smoking a last cigarette and holding a bottle of water, dressed in baggy(ish) grey panties and a white sleeveless, while almost uninjured, before being shot in the neck.
I know Gaddafi’s death has nothing to do with the usual content of this column, but as a human being, an African and a Muslim, I was emotionally upset by seeing images of the half-naked [dead] body of the former African strong man being dragged in the streets of Sirte by the youthful NTC fighters, who were possibly high [on drugs].
Gaddafi’s demise was greeted with celebrations and sorrow is equal measures, especially in the outside world. Others say, ‘he who kills with the sword, dies by the sword’, while others are like, ‘maybe he deserved a better death’, considering that no death, whatever the form, is good.
While I have my sympathy with Gadaffi, his family or supporters, I fear that all that will happen following his removal from power and eventual brutal death, is all out civil war which will likely result in the installation of another, possibly even more fanatical and ruthless, dictator.
Hard times ahead for new FA boss
Anyway, I don’t want to bore you with my Gaddafi politicking, he’s dead and now part of history—and coming back to the present while concentrating on issues at home, we look to the future of Rwandan football and the challenges awaiting the new Ferwafa president.
Celestin Ntagungira, 45 was elected yesterday to replace Brig. Gen. Jean Bosco Kazura, who resigned last month in the wake of Amavubi suffering its heaviest home defeat ever during the 0-5 drabbing at the hands of Cote d’Ivoire in a 2012 Nations’ Cup qualifier.
A former Fifa assistant referee, fine at it indeed, Ntagungira takes the mantle at a time when the standing of Rwandan football is possibly at its lowest in a decade or so.
Abega, as he’s widely referred to in the local football circles, will have his hands full when he settles in one of the most high profile jobs in the country and definitely one of the most demanding ones.
And being a new man in the job and the timing of his take over, he’ll certainly be under a lot of scrutiny, given the fact that he becomes the first civilian to lead the national football federation. His last two predecessors were both army generals.
The foundation is there, so he won’t start from the scratch, but he is going to need all the support in this world from the people around him as well as all stakeholders is ever going to achieve anything tangible in the next two years before new elections are held.
Like anyone taking over a contentious job as the Ferwafa presidency, Ntagungira will have his detractors, who’d want to see him fail, so he should expect intrigues and backstabbing.
With CEO Jules Kalisa expected to leave the federation on mutual consent, the new Ferwafa boss faces hard times ahead in the absence of a man, who was running the show for so many years under the previous regimes. Who replaces him [Kalisa] is a different discussion for another day.