What type of game is Ferwafa playing?

WHILE we enjoyed the glamour of Kagame Cup 2014, sad news hit town suddenly. Rwanda was disqualified from the qualifiers of the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The decision taken on August 17 by the Organising Committee of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations was hinged on one player, Etakiama Agiti Tady/Daddy Birori, who was deemed to be ineligible to feature for Rwanda. Apparently, Birori holds both Rwandan and DR Congo nationalities but with different dates of birth, which is against Caf rules, but much more against any national rules regarding the acquisition of documents. However, minutes after the news had broken, it became apparent that Birori wasn’t alone in this practice. A list went viral on social media forums, showing over ten names of Rwandan football professionals who use two different identities. Rumor has it that this behavior has been going on for long, but whether it is true or not, Ferwafa can’t afford to sit back and claim “not to blame” like it has been doing with each opportunity. Two days after we were disqualified, Rwanda appealed the decision, as expected, to the Confederation of African Football (Caf). Caf later on announced that the appeal hearing was set for last Wednesday 27 August. Every football-loving Rwandan I know had their ears to the ground on Wednesday, hoping that the decision would be rescinded to allow Rwanda to compete in Africa’s most prestigious soccer tournament. However, two days later, there wasn’t the slightest hint that a decision would be taken. Nothing! By Friday afternoon, neither the press nor the ordinary news searcher had a clue about what was going on inside that appeal room in Egypt. Neither Caf nor Ferwafa provided any details or minutes regarding the hearing, even worse, nothing was announced as to whether the hearing had gone into a second and third day. Basically, everyone was left in a state of mystification and at the mercy of decision makers. This is a case that has dragged Rwanda in a dirty pit of mud – it is the kind of stuff that is usually reserved for unserious nations. And that’s why it is irritating to even think that news about it is being hoarded, or that a decision should be delayed for any secretive reason. Maybe we got news about the decision after I had scribbled this article, but the manner in which it’s being handled isn’t making anyone feel proud. Not that I’m being pessimistic, but Rwanda’s chances are pretty small – unless a miracle decision is taken. Most likely, it’s going against us, and just as the Caf disciplinary Code says, Ferwafa is likely to suffer more by paying for all the costs and expenses as the unsuccessful party in the appeal. Anyways, regardless of the decision, Vincent Nzamwita, the head of Ferwafa, and his team, have to clean up whatever mess is in that body. Much as they may claim to have inherited many of the problems, Nzamwita should grab the bull by its horns and ensure that nothing of this nature happens again. Nzamwita should remember that bad results on the pitch are understandable, but scandals are unforgettable. @RushAfrican on Twitter