Midfielder Kevin Muhire insists he and his teammates have a responsibility to bring a smile back to Rwandan faces as they bid to end Amavubi’s 20-year wait for a qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations. Rwanda begins 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign with a trio to Libya on September 4 before hosting Nigeria’s Super Eagles to Amahoro Stadium on September 10. Nigeria and Benin are gradually becoming Rwanda’s familiar foes in Group D of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, as the trio also find themselves in the same group in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. There were made scenes at Amahoro Stadium in 2003 when Jimmy Gatete scored the match winner that qualified Rwanda for the AFCON 2004 in Tunisia. However, Rwandans have for over the past two decades been for a similar moment to unfold even after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) increased the number of participants in the AFCON finals to 24 up from 16. “We owe Rwandans something better. We need to be engaged in every game ahead of us because we have been throwing chances in the last matches,” Muhire said before Rwanda’s trip to Tripoli ahead of Libya qualifier. Rwanda has, on many occasions, suffered some infamous slips that were too hard for Amavubi supporters to digest. ALSO READ: Pros join Rwanda camp ahead of Nigeria, Libya qualifiers In 2010, for instance, Amavubi missed out on qualification after losing to Zambia in the last match that could have earned them a ticket. The East African nation again missed out on the 2015 AFCON finals in what was yet a controversial scandal of Rwanda’s sporting calendar year. They were guaranteed a ticket after beating Congo but went on to be disqualified over fielding Taddy Etekiema (Daddy Birori) who was not eligible to play for Rwanda. Rwanda was also close to qualifying for the 2017 AFCON before throwing their chances away after consecutive losses to Mauritius and Mozambique. These are moment that continue to haunt Rwanda and Muhire thinks he and his teammates must this time round step up and deliver to their expectations. I think we owe the good results to our supporters. We need to put in some really good performances and finish in a strong fashion,” the Rayon Sports captain noted. I think we have had really good performances so far so we need to keep the spirit and never stop like we did in past and finish the campaign strong fashion. It is really important we get some momentum into this time, he added. Muhire is part of Frank Torsten Spittler’s squad which is Libya ahead of Wednesday clash. After winning the 2024 Rwanda Premier League player of the year award, the midfielder is hoping to build on his individual achievements to helping the country in their quest for a ticket to Morocco.
