Rwanda Karate Federation President, Theogene Uwayo, is in pole position to take office as the new president of Rwanda National Olympic Committee since no one has come up to challenge ahead of next week’s elections. The elections were rescheduled to May 8 by a recent Extraordinary General Assembly after a number of sports federations protested against holding them after the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The change of election date follows the recent resignation of former president Valens Munyabagisha who stepped down from his position on April 6. Uwayo earlier this week received ‘The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver ray’, from Japanese Emperor, in recognition of his commitment to the promotion of Karate in Rwanda. If he gets elected to head the Olympic Committee then it would put an end to 14 years of service at the Karate Federation. Meanwhile, two candidates are battling it out for the post of Olympic Committee’s first and second vice-president posts which are being targeted by Alice Umuringa who came from Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB) and Salama Umutoni who represents the Basketball governing body (FERWABA). Meanwhile, Joseph Kajangwe, the Head of Appeals at Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) is also the lone candidate for the post of RNOSC’s Secretary-General. In general, there are 10 posts which are up for grabs at the Olympic Committee with the new leadership expected to bring fresh blood in the house. Candidates have a week to campaign for votes from Saturday, May 1 until the deadline of the elections on May 8.
