President Paul Kagame has said that hatred, witchcraft, and other forms of misconduct in sports caused him to lose confidence in the sector, prompting him to stop using his personal funds to support it. However, he pledged to continue providing support for initiatives aimed at developing sports.
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Misconduct and Misplaced Priorities in Rwandan Football
He made the remarks during a press conference on August 24, 2026, where he addressed various issues, including challenges that continue to hinder the development of sports in Rwanda.
President Kagame was asked about his assessment of Rwanda’s sports sector. He said there were still many problems related to the conduct of people involved in sports and that he had made every effort to address them.
“I have tried to do what I can. I have helped and pushed, but I do not know what more I can do beyond continuing to try. But the problem lies with us, Rwandans and athletes. The problem is within us; if we remove it, the sector will develop,” he said.
“People have been telling others that football players need to buy hair and put it on their heads, or take hair from their own heads and tie it in whatever way they want. And that is supposed to be playing football. Or it moves from there into fortune-telling, witchcraft and eventually even theft.”
He said that even if such practices may exist elsewhere, that does not mean they should be accepted in Rwanda. He stressed that the country’s ambitions should be focused on achieving success, while areas where problems persist should be addressed, starting with the conduct of individuals.
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Condition for Future Financial Support
During the press conference, President Kagame said he had stopped using his personal money to support sports after concluding that it was being spent without producing meaningful results. However, he said he would be willing to resume his financial support if the underlying problems were resolved.
“That is where I find it difficult to help. I have helped, even when I had to look for money and take out loans to give them because the budget was not sufficient. But then you see people getting involved in disputes, hatred and conflicts, whether within a team or between one team and another. If we could eliminate all those things I have mentioned and start with young children, raising them properly as they grow, then things would improve,” he said.
“In the old culture, you would find a player being talked about simply because their name had been mentioned in 1976, and that same person would remain in the spotlight until they grew old, without anyone else being developed behind them. If you want me to work with you and help you with that, call me and I will do it. But there must be no chaos, no witchcraft and no hatred. I will not be part of that. I have also stopped providing money; I will not take money and put it into such things.”
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Focusing on Youth Development Over Temporary Titles
Rwanda’s national football team, the Amavubi, recently won the 2026 FIFA Series held in Rwanda, while Rayon Sports won the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup. However, President Kagame said that greater results would be achieved if stronger systems were established to identify and develop young talent.
