Nzamwita, Rwemarika in two-horse race for FERWAFA presidency

THE battle for Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) presidency will be a two-horse race between incumbent president Vincent ‘de Gaulle’ Nzamwita and the head of the women football in Rwanda, Felicite Rwemalika. The electoral commission of Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) confirmed the two as the only candidates for the presidency of the country’s football governing body. Nzamwita has been president of FERWAFA since January 2014 while Rwemalika has been the Executive Committee member in charge of women football commission and was recently elected as the vice president of Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee. The commision chairman Adolphe Camalade Kalisa confirmed the development in a press conference held on Monday. Another contender, Louis Rurangirwa was not nominated on grounds that he didn’t meet all the requirements to stand for the top seat. “We received nomination papers from Nzamwita and Rwemalika on November 28 and a letter from Rurangirwa. The nomination papers were valid while the letter was only informing us that Rurangirwa was denied a recommendation letter by ARAF, the association which he belongs to,” said Kalisa. Subsequently Kalisa announced that Louis Rurangirwa could not be allowed to aspire for this position because he never met the requirements as listed in the FERWAFA Electoral Code. Kalisa added that the successful candidates are free to begin campaigning but urged them to exercise discipline and professionalism during the campaigns which will climax on December 29 to pave way for the elections on December 30 in an elective FERWAFA general assembly. The elections were initially supposed to take place on September 30, but were put on hold on instructions of FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura due to irregularities and violation of the electoral code. The elected FERWAFA president will serve a four-year term from 2018 to 2021. editorial@newtimes.co.rw