Home Sports Rwanda FA Elections Set for December 30th

Rwanda FA Elections Set for December 30th

by Bonnie Mugabe
8:46 am

FERWAFA president Nzamwita Vincent

Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) will go to polls to elect their Executive Committee on December 30, 2017.

The development was confirmed on Sunday after Ferwafa’s extraordinary general assembly held at Lemigo Hotel in Kigali. The meeting which attracted 52 affiliate members of Rwanda Football Federation also approved the electoral code before electing members of the electoral commission and the Appeals Commission respectively.

Speaking to media after the plenary, Ferwafa president Nzamwita said, “Among resolutions passed during the day-long extraordinary general assembly, Ferwafa members adopted the electoral code, elected members of both the electoral commission and the appeals commission.”

“They have 60 days to prepare for elections of Ferwafa Executive Committee that will serve a four-year term from 2017 to 2021. The meeting agreed to have the elective general assembly held on December 30, 2017 at Lemigo hotel,” said Nzamwita.

Nzamwita added that it’s now up to the electoral commission to prepare and inform all potential candidates the requirements for the Ferwafa Executive Committee elections as specified in the electoral code.

In September this year, Ferwafa postponed presidential elections which were originally scheduled for September 10th following a request from FIFA.

FIFA requested FERWAFA to put on hold the Presidential elections in order to allow amendments to be incorporated into the electoral code governing the FERWAFA Presidential elections.

The world governing body’s intervention came after a group of 14 FERWAFA General Assembly members wrote a letter to FIFA on August 25 claiming the code governing elections were being violated.

At that time, incumbent Vincent Nzamwita was being challenged by Albert Mwanafunzi. A group called ‘Rwanda Football Coalition for Change’ claimed a number of FIFA regulations had been violated including that an independent Electoral Commission should not have been appointed six months before the election dates, that the commission included some officials working in government and there should be an arbitration team, in case of any appeal that may arise.

However, Sunday’s plenary resolved all anomalies with members approving the code and aligning every electoral article in conformity with FIFA.

Among other resolutions passed of the electoral code, for the voting and composition of the FERWAFA Executive Committee as highlighted in article 31 of the FERWAFA statutes, the meeting agreed to have the voting procedures of FIFA enacted during this process.

The meeting also passed a resolution where every woman aspiring to be on the executive committee will only be required to present a recommendation letter from any FERWAFA member club or association to be elected to the committee.

The meeting also agreed on the four-year term of office for the members of the Executive Committee which must only be renewable not more than three times.

The FERWAFA Extraordinary general assembly also elected members of the Electoral Commission which will be chaired by Kalisa Adolphe (APR Fc).

La Jeunesse president Nsabimana Boniface is the vice president of the body while Niyobuhungiro Fidel (Mukura VS), Muhozi Masuhuko Paulin (Gakenke WFC) and Ndashimye Emmanuel (Bugesera Fc) were elected seating members.

Murwanashyaka Gregoire Masista (Gicumbi Fc) and Kirehe’s Muyonde Augustin were voted substitute members of the electoral body.

The meeting also voted into office the Appeals body which will be composed of Mukakarangwa Delphine (Inyemera WFc) as the chairwoman while Semadwinga Caude (Giticyinyoni SC) is the vice president. AEFR’S Rukundo Eugene is the lone seating member of the commission.

Habimana Bonaventure (ES Mutunda WFc) and Nyandwi Philbert (United Stars) were voted as substitute members of the Appeals commission.