Munyandamutsa petitions FIFA over ‘unlawful’ FERWAFA assembly

Augustine Munyandamutsa, a member of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA), has petitioned FIFA to nullify resolutions passed by what he called an ‘illegal’ FERWAFA Extra-Ordinary General Assembly held from September 17-18 in Musanze District. In a letter addressed to FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura, dated September 22, 2016, Munyandamutsa, the president of Kicukiro-based second division side, SEC Academy, wants the Zurich-based world football governing body to declare null and void all the resolutions made in that meeting which, he says was illegally constituted. “On 16/04/2016 we (FERWAFA members) had an Ordinary General Assembly which did not itself conform to the standing laws,” he said. At the meeting, FERWAFA President Vincent Nzamwita presented financial reports of 2015, copies of which Munyandamutsa says should have been availed 30 days earlier. At the end of the meeting, the General Assembly rejected the reports spot on, after which the illegal assembly nominated two ad hoc committees to make new reports,” the letter, whose copy Times Sport has seen reads in part. In the letter, Munyandamutsa states that; “In his invitation for an Extraordinary General Assembly on 16/08/2016, Mr. Nzamwita mentioned that the reports were attached on email; which was not true. He later sent the reports on September 7, 2016 at 5:01pm. Meaning it’s the considered date of receipt of the invitation because that is the very day that we fully got all that is needed for the General Assembly to be and agreed to be the same.” He adds that from September 7, when the documents were received to 17/09/2016 (the date for the General Assembly, there are only 9 days contrary to regulations which provide for 30 days minimum). Article 27.3 of the statutes governing FERWAFA states that the venue, the date and the agenda shall be communicated to the members at least thirty days before the date of the extraordinary General Assembly meeting, he said. “This clearly and ultimately makes the General Assembly illegal.” Munyandamutsa claims that he advised the federation to abide by the law and postpone the general assembly in a letter he wrote on September 9, but did not get feedback. As such, Munyandamutsa wants FIFA to reject the resolutions agreed upon and passed, as stipulated in Art 18.1 of FERWAFA statutes. Among the resolutions passed during the assembly, the former FERWAFA presidential aspirant was handed a two-year ban from all football related activities and a fine of Rwf500,000 for an offence related to incitement to hatred or violence. However, Munyandamutsa denies the accusations, insisting that they are “baseless and politically motivated.” FERWAFA responds When contacted, FERWAFA spokesperson Moussa Hakizimana said they have not received a copy of Munyandamutsa’s letter but confirmed they have heard about it. “We sent invitation letters and the agenda to all members on time as stipulated by law; however, we heard that some emails bounced back and were resent two days later, so we don’t know why he (Munyandamutsa) received his nine days before the meeting,” said Hakizimana. He further added, “but it is his right to appeal and we shall wait for what FIFA says.” editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Sports

Munyandamutsa petitions FIFA over ‘unlawful’ FERWAFA assembly