APR football club supporters are planning to revive the fallen fans’ clubs around the country before the 2013/14 National Football League season kicks off on September 21. Speaking to the media on Thursday, the APR FC fans’ coordinator Col. Geoffrey Kabagambe said that they have decided to set up an interim committee which will move around the country mobilizing APR fans to return to their old ways of backing their club on matchdays. “We have already started mobilizing our fans. We have started with Eastern and Northern Provinces. We will wind up with the Southern and Western Provinces as well as Kigali City before the end of this month,” he said. “We want to reach out to all APR fans across the country wherever they are such that we can get back to supporting our club like it used to be previously,” added Col. Kabagambe. Fans have been blamed for deserting the team in the past two seasons following the club’s decision to embrace the policy of using only Rwandan-born players. According to Kabagambe, the interim committee intends to set up APR fans’ clubs’ administration from the sector, district to Province levels in bid to have as many fans as possible supporting their team. The interim committee’s second vice president Innocent Bayingana said, “Everyone might be having his/her reasons for not being with the club in the past season but we have decided to unite and get back together for the good of the club.” The current interim committee is comprised of Col. Kabagambe (president), Fraterne Bahizi [1st vice president], Innocent Bayingana [2nd vice president & spokesperson], Peace Mutegwaraba [Secretary General], Anitha Kivuye & Silas Nkusi [Finance and Marketing]. Mobilizes include; George Sebukwengeri, Francis Gasangwa, Aimable Muhinda and Hadji Karemera while advisors include Godfrey Nkusi, Fils Gafaranga, Bosco Kamilindi and Pascal Rutayisire. Last season, the military team ended the season trophy-less for the first time since 1995. Rayon Sports won the league title, while AS Kigali took the Peace Cup against Malaria. Beyond Rwandan boarders, the Black and White outside did little in the regional Cecafa-Kagame Cup as well the CAF Champions League. APR has won a record 13 league titles and eight Peace Cup trophies.
