Karekezi explains why he quit Rayon Sports

Former Amavubi captain Olivier Karekezi has come out to clarify why he quit as Rayon Sports head coach without notifying the club management. Karekezi, 34, who signed a two-year contract with the club in July 2017, returned to his family in Sweden, a day after Rayon Sports lost to arch-rivals APR FC 1-0 in Azam Rwanda Premier League two weeks ago. In a letter, dated March 8, 2018 and addressed to Rayon Sports president Paul Muvunyi, Karekezi made it clear he is no longer the team’s coach. Karekezi was responding to the club’s recent letter asking him to explain why he is not at work. “I write this letter to you asking for the reason of your absence from coaching duty, knowing that the team is in different competitions,” reads part of the letter signed by Muvunyi. In reply, Karekezi accused the club leadership, especially the president (Muvunyi) and the team lawyer Pierre Claver Zitoni, of forcing him to sign documents to terminate the contract while he was in police custody back in November. The former APR forward and skipper added that, from prison, he continued to coach without a contract, and saw no signs of renewing his contract, according to the letter. “Instead, I continued to coach with no salary, no contract and no full bonus. Every full month I had to fight to receive my salary…I still have not received my salary for February,” Karekezi wrote in his response. He goes further to drop the bombshell, “I am very sorry but I cannot work like that. By law, I am no longer head coach for Rayon Sports FC.” Following Karekezi’s unexpected departure, Rayon Sports moved fast to install former coach Ivan Minnaert in an interim role until end of the first round of the league season. The Azam Rwanda Premier League champions are in third place with 24 points from 13 matches, two points behind leaders AS Kigali, who have played one more game.. editorial@newtimes.co.rw