PHOTOS: Kagame returns to local football after eight years

President Paul Kagame is among tens of thousands attending Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations AFCON qualifier between Rwanda and Nigeria at Amahoro Stadium, marking his return to a local football match for the first time in eight years. ALSO READ: Kagame slams corruption, witchcraft in Rwandan football Kagame last attended a match in 2016 when Rwanda lost 2-1 at home to DR Congo in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals. He has since not attended any football match in Rwanda amid concerns primarily associated with corruption and witchcraft that shaped Rwandan football over the last couple of years. Kagame on numerous occasions cited these issues as reasons for stepping back from attending games, calling them primitive practices that hinder the sport's development. The reason I stopped watching football games was partly because of corruption and witchcraft in tournaments. I can't be part of that, he said during the 2024 National Dialogue ‘Umushyikirano’ in January. The head of state had previously raised the same concerns in August 2023, when he slammed officials who spent money on witchcraft rather than investing in their teams' proper development. In July 2023, Kagame urged football officials to address issues such as bribery, unprofessionalism, and referee manipulation, warning that if these problems were not resolved, he would weigh in to ensure improvement in various aspects.

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PHOTOS: Kagame returns to local football after eight years