Rwandan football icon Olivier Karekezi is reportedly holding talks with SC Kiyovu with a view to becoming their new head coach to replace interim coach Emmanuel Ruremesha. Should the deal go through, reports say Ruremesha would become the team’s assistant coach while club legend Djabil Mutarambirwa will be demoted to second assistant coach.
SC Kiyovu, one of the oldest football clubs in Rwanda, mark their 56th anniversary this week. They are six-time league champions and three-time winners of the Peace Cup (formerly Rwandan Cup). However, they have not won any major silverware since 1993 when they clinched their last league title.
Before the 2019/20 league was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, SC Kiyovu were fifth on the 16 team league table with 35 points after 24 matches.
The 36-year-old Karekezi, the national team’s all-time leading scorer with 25 goals from 53 appearances, previously coached Rayon Sports for one month in 2017 – despite signing a two-year deal – quitting after falling out with players and some senior members of the club hierarchy.
The former Amavubi captain started his career with local giants APR, who he represented for six years between 1998 and 2004, during which he won several titles with the army side. He moved abroad in 2005 joining Swedish side Helsingborgs and his professional career saw him feature for different sides in Sweden, Norway and Tunisia.
Elsewhere, the National Public Prosecution Authority confirmed that Hussein Habimana, Technical Director of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERFAWA) was detained last month on rape charges. Reports say Habimana promised one of the contestants for Miss Rwanda 2020, that he could use his influence to help her win the coveted crown. He reportedly invited the unnamed contestant to his home where he allegedly raped her.
If convicted, Habimana faces imprisonment for a term of not less than ten years but not more than 15 years and a fine of not less than Rwf 1,000,000 but not more than two million Rwf 2,000,000.