Being a journalist in Rwanda

Emmanuel MUNGWARAKARAMA

Being a journalist in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide requires lots of effort and experience. The challenges are many, but journalism professionals could be doing more to help meet them.

Media has a role to educate, inform and entertain, but educating hatred in 1994 was the main objective of the RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Milles Collines), the one private station by 1993. So many newspapers were found in the 1990 – 1994 period they were allied to political parties; they couldn't play their role as media but only the role of propaganda.

Media had played a huge role in the genocide, as a tool of hate propaganda.

How can a journalist overcome the situation?

After approximately a million to be killed within a short time of 100 days: political leaders, journalists, scholars, children, every kind of persons women and men were touched by this.

Do the people still have the hope in the Medias?

The answer can be yes, with an orientation. The school of journalism and communication born in 1996 came to give a help to the Rwandan media.

The trust in media was threatened, professionals were very few and the need to inform was crucial. Private newsrooms came to reinforce the public ones but of course with so many challenges. Beginning by in 1995, different newspapers came into place but people still have the image of a hatred media of hatred. Even the government has the same picture of the press as in 1994.

The need to establish a watchdog of media was inevitable considering the power importance that the media has to the population. The high press council of the press and the press law were put in place by 2002. The idea was good but the execution is different. The problem that these two institutions have today is that they are accused by the beneficiaries; journalists personally don't see their rights respected in order to allow them to play fully and freely their role.

Journalists need to express their views without any interference, within the law governing the country. Freedom of expression cannot be separated into compartments.

Do the journalists know their rights? If so, do they know how to marry them with what they do to the field exercising their job? Some of journalists don't have enough packages benefits? Compared to their backgrounds, so many private media are being run by unprofessional persons. They woken up in one morning and began to write. According to the report by High council of press, only 10% of those who exercise practicise journalism and are trained. The rest benefited from seminars by the school of journalism and communication, Internews, High council of press and ministry of information. This is not enough to be a good practitioner of the media.

The need of creating a center for journalists in Kigali is one of major solutions to help journalists to upgrade their skills. The center will have the objective of training media practitioners without journalistic background. It is a mechanism by the government to put emphasis on the media industry.

The center will supplement the school of journalism and communication but my worry is how it is going to be conducted? The school itself has a shortage of teachers. How will the two institutions with an aim to shape good reporters, writers, media professionals within this situation will sustain and reach to its their objectives?

Graduates from the school of journalism prefer to be employed by the NGO's instead of working with media in the country. How can media improve when professionals don’t want to be used by these media houses?

The will to work for media is present but for some of the graduates argue that they can't work with an institution which hasn’t a clear picture of what journalist look like. The only one television station in the country can't cover national wide. More than 10 private radio stations operating in the country can't follow standards of a professional media. How can a trained journalist work for such media?

The challenge comes back to the professionals. Who else do you need to build and consolidate your career? It is upon you trained journalists to invade the field and show you are able to put into practice what you acquired from books, experience, peers and the school.

Heroic football unifies Huye veterans

Emmanuel Mungwarakarama


After work and off drinking pubs, 76 Huye veterans associated to ‘Intwari’ (heroes) football club, play football every Sunday, helping them to unify Butare society after 1994 genocide.

Apart from building their bodies by doing sport, the veterans, all men aged between 23 and 51 affirm that they no longer spend their money in bars
“After 1994 genocide, we (Intwari FC founders) thought about what to do to reorganize our destructed society. We are a group of Butare workers and businessmen. As, football is the king sport in Rwanda, we decided to entertain and be exemplary to our society by playing every Sunday, even though many of us are veterans” explained Albert Kayiranga, 41, and the first president of Intwari, on the question of how the idea came.

Later, a team became an association

Kayiranga went on saying that the number of players were progressing , making easier the aim of “together, we play”.
“In 1995, we formed a team called Intwari FC, simply meaning that we aim at being heroes and give such an education to our children” We play and after share a glass. No Hutu or Tutsi in Intwari family, we are Rwandans, heroic players” he added.

In May 1996, Intwari FC members were 102.
“We formed an association Intwari, so that officially recognised, we accomplish our mission to the society” said Léon Pierre Kayitare, an Intwari founder member.
The association counts now 76 members, being football fans, legends who live in Huye District.

Intwari, a family affair

Rutayisire Runuya, 48, is one of the Rwandan football legends who plays for Intwari FC, alongside his son Ishmael Rutayisire who is 25 years old.
“Playing with my father helps me to take and respect others as fathers. This has turned into my life” Said Ishmael.

After every session of playing, Intwari members share a glass. According to Nsonera Guido, this is proof to how Intwari is a family.
“ Our families know each other. Every new year, we share something, ” added Guido

Intwari members are preparing to commemorate , the 1st of February, a Rwanda national heroes day .
“ We will commemorate it as it is our aim to become heroes and we must train our children to be so ” said Traoré Niyomfura, the acting president of Intwari association

Coopérative Jyambere : Urutoke rutera rwasimbujwe ibirayi n’ ibigori birumbuka

Bagirishya Jean de Dieu


Ni muri Werurwe 2006 ubwo mu Murenge wa Cyuve ho mu Karere ka Musanze havukaga ishyirahamwe ry’abahinzi n’aborozi ba Kijyambere bagera ku 127 ryitwa Jyambere.Iri shyirahamwe ryakanguriye abaturage kureka ubuhinzi bw’urutoke ruteraga bakarusimbuza Ibirayi n’ibigori bijyanye n’ubwo butaka. Mu mezi 7 gusa ashize, Abari muri iryo shyirahamwe bafite imirima 147 ikoreye neza iri ku buso bwa metero kare 8348.Ubu ikaba irimo ibigori bieye amabengeza, batangaza ko bizatanga byibura umusaruro usaga toni 30.

Nk’uko Bwana Ndagijimana Jean Baptiste, umubitsi n’umubaruramari wa Jyambere yabitangarije ikinyamakuru Ibanga, ngo nyuma y’aho byagaragaraga ko urutoki rwari rwaranze muri ako gace k’Akarere ka Musanze, ushinzwe akanama k’ ubukungu mu Karere ka Musanze, Bwana Pasteur Nemeyabahizi Jean Baptiste yagiriye inama abaturage yo kurusimbuza ibyahera. We ubwe yakomye imbarutso maze yegera abandi baturage bo muri ako gace. We ubwe yashoyemo imari ye maze abo baturage bari batarumva neza agaciro kabyo , abakoresha abahemba amafaranga 400 ku munsi.

Abaturage babyumvise vuba

Ndagijimana yakomeje atangaza ko ngo ku ikubitiro intego yari ukwikenura kw’abatuye ako Karere n’ubwo batabyumvise. “Nk’umubyeyi Nyirambonigazi yari yaranze gutanga umurima ariko nyuma yaje kuwutanga abonye mu rutoki ahavaga udushyimbo twavagamo ibihumbi cumi n’umunani, tuhakuye ibirayi byatanze frs 47.000 ku mwero umwe” Niko yakomeje asobanura. Naho umubyeyi Mukayuhi Venansiya we yivugira ko uretse kuba amafaranga 400 ahembwa ku munsi amukenura mu rugo iwe, ngo ibirayi yariye byamugaragarije ko adahomba. Basezera Daphrose we ku kuba Atari yaratanze umurima mbere ubu akaba yarawutanze yagize ati “Ni ubujiji. Ubu ndarya ikirayi kandi mpinga mpembwa”

Inyungu irimo ni iyihe?

Umubaruramari wa Jyambere, Bwana Ndagijimana Jean Baptiste atangaza ko kuva mu kwezi kwa 3 kugeza ubu, amafaranga ishyirahamwe rimaze gutanga muri abo baturage mu rwego rwo kugira ngo bahugukirwe no kumenya ubuhinzi bubungura arenze miliyoni icumi. Muri yo, ngo asaga miliyoni 3 n’imigabane abanyamuryango bo ubwabo bishatsemo. Muri yo harimo ahembwa abakozi uhereye ku batemye urutoki bagatunganya n’imirima, ukageza ku bagikoramo ubu babagara ibigori byabo, kugeza ku miti ibiterwa.Ngo n’ubwo umusaruro w’ibirayi uteri mubi ariko utanabarumbukiye , ibigori birimo byo bigaragaza ko bizatanga umusaruro.

Gahunda bafite ni ndende

Jyambere nk’ishyirahamwe ngo bafite gahunda yo kwimura abanyamuryango bagituye mu buso bw’ahagomba guhingwa. Ndagijimana ati “ Tugomba kubatuza ahandi ubuso buhingwa bukagera kuri metero kare 10.300. Nyiramajyambere , umubyeyi nawe ufite umurima mu ishyirahamwe yatangaje ko hari n’abandi bifuza kuzamo ku buryo imirima izagenda yaguka uko abanyamuryango bashya bazagenda baza. Ngo abanyacyuve rero bagiye kubakirwa uruganda rusya ibigori kuko ngo ifu ariyo itanga umusaruro uruta mu kugurishwa. Nyiramajyambere ati “N’ubwo mpatuye ninimurwa nzimuka ntange umurima [……] ko twemeye ko badutemnera insina se, kwimuka nibyo bizatugora?”


Abagize Jyambere bo mu kagari ka Kabeza, Umurenge wa Cyuve ho muri Musanze bagiriye inama abandi bahinzi kwibumbira hamwe ngo kuko bituma babasha kwagura ubutaka kandi bafatanya bagahinga bijyanye n’igihe ari nako bungurana ibitekerezo bibafasha kunoza neza umwuga w’ubuhinzi, wo unakorwa na benshi mu gihugu cyacu. Umubyeyi Nyirarukundo ati “ Aho nakuraga ibiro 700 by’ibirayi, ubu nahakuye ibiro 1400! Mfite imiti n’ifumbira kandi mbwirwa icyo gukora ngo ndumbukirwe”

Bagirishya Jean de Dieu
Ni muri Werurwe 2006 ubwo mu Murenge wa Cyuve ho mu Karere ka Musanze havukaga ishyirahamwe ry’abahinzi n’aborozi ba Kijyambere bagera ku 127 ryitwa Jyambere.Iri shyirahamwe ryakanguriye abaturage kureka ubuhinzi bw’urutoke ruteraga bakarusimbuza Ibirayi n’ibigori bijyanye n’ubwo butaka. Mu mezi 7 gusa ashize, Abari muri iryo shyirahamwe bafite imirima 147 ikoreye neza iri ku buso bwa metero kare 8348.Ubu ikaba irimo ibigori bieye amabengeza, batangaza ko bizatanga byibura umusaruro usaga toni 30.

Nk’uko Bwana Ndagijimana Jean Baptiste, umubitsi n’umubaruramari wa Jyambere yabitangarije ikinyamakuru Ibanga, ngo nyuma y’aho byagaragaraga ko urutoki rwari rwaranze muri ako gace k’Akarere ka Musanze, ushinzwe akanama k’ ubukungu mu Karere ka Musanze, Bwana Pasteur Nemeyabahizi Jean Baptiste yagiriye inama abaturage yo kurusimbuza ibyahera. We ubwe yakomye imbarutso maze yegera abandi baturage bo muri ako gace. We ubwe yashoyemo imari ye maze abo baturage bari batarumva neza agaciro kabyo , abakoresha abahemba amafaranga 400 ku munsi.

Abaturage babyumvise vuba

Ndagijimana yakomeje atangaza ko ngo ku ikubitiro intego yari ukwikenura kw’abatuye ako Karere n’ubwo batabyumvise. “Nk’umubyeyi Nyirambonigazi yari yaranze gutanga umurima ariko nyuma yaje kuwutanga abonye mu rutoki ahavaga udushyimbo twavagamo ibihumbi cumi n’umunani, tuhakuye ibirayi byatanze frs 47.000 ku mwero umwe” Niko yakomeje asobanura. Naho umubyeyi Mukayuhi Venansiya we yivugira ko uretse kuba amafaranga 400 ahembwa ku munsi amukenura mu rugo iwe, ngo ibirayi yariye byamugaragarije ko adahomba. Basezera Daphrose we ku kuba Atari yaratanze umurima mbere ubu akaba yarawutanze yagize ati “Ni ubujiji. Ubu ndarya ikirayi kandi mpinga mpembwa”

Inyungu irimo ni iyihe?

Umubaruramari wa Jyambere, Bwana Ndagijimana Jean Baptiste atangaza ko kuva mu kwezi kwa 3 kugeza ubu, amafaranga ishyirahamwe rimaze gutanga muri abo baturage mu rwego rwo kugira ngo bahugukirwe no kumenya ubuhinzi bubungura arenze miliyoni icumi. Muri yo, ngo asaga miliyoni 3 n’imigabane abanyamuryango bo ubwabo bishatsemo. Muri yo harimo ahembwa abakozi uhereye ku batemye urutoki bagatunganya n’imirima, ukageza ku bagikoramo ubu babagara ibigori byabo, kugeza ku miti ibiterwa.Ngo n’ubwo umusaruro w’ibirayi uteri mubi ariko utanabarumbukiye , ibigori birimo byo bigaragaza ko bizatanga umusaruro.

Gahunda bafite ni ndende

Jyambere nk’ishyirahamwe ngo bafite gahunda yo kwimura abanyamuryango bagituye mu buso bw’ahagomba guhingwa. Ndagijimana ati “ Tugomba kubatuza ahandi ubuso buhingwa bukagera kuri metero kare 10.300. Nyiramajyambere , umubyeyi nawe ufite umurima mu ishyirahamwe yatangaje ko hari n’abandi bifuza kuzamo ku buryo imirima izagenda yaguka uko abanyamuryango bashya bazagenda baza. Ngo abanyacyuve rero bagiye kubakirwa uruganda rusya ibigori kuko ngo ifu ariyo itanga umusaruro uruta mu kugurishwa. Nyiramajyambere ati “N’ubwo mpatuye ninimurwa nzimuka ntange umurima [……] ko twemeye ko badutemnera insina se, kwimuka nibyo bizatugora?”


Abagize Jyambere bo mu kagari ka Kabeza, Umurenge wa Cyuve ho muri Musanze bagiriye inama abandi bahinzi kwibumbira hamwe ngo kuko bituma babasha kwagura ubutaka kandi bafatanya bagahinga bijyanye n’igihe ari nako bungurana ibitekerezo bibafasha kunoza neza umwuga w’ubuhinzi, wo unakorwa na benshi mu gihugu cyacu. Umubyeyi Nyirarukundo ati “ Aho nakuraga ibiro 700 by’ibirayi, ubu nahakuye ibiro 1400! Mfite imiti n’ifumbira kandi mbwirwa icyo gukora ngo ndumbukirwe”

Nyungwe tourism industry improved in the last 3 years

Bagirishya Jean de Dieu

The number of the tourists in Nyungwe National Park rose from 2041 in 2004 to 3089 in 2006, reception statistics say.

The money from Nyungwe National Park also has increased from 257,000$ to 550,039 $ in 2006, according to Elias Musoni, an ORTPN reception at Uwinka camping site who went on explaining the reason for that improvement

“In 2003, the government made Nyungwe forest the 3rd national park (The volcanoes and Akagera ones being others). ORTPN, the Rwandan tourism and national parks Office began to market it (Nyungwe) internationally. The office formed and brought here12 tour guides and divided the forest into 4 trails. Then the number of tourists began to increase” explained Musoni.

According to Bahizi Edward, Nyungwe also is visited because it is best-known for its wealth of primates.
“Rwanda is also one of Africa’s top birding countries, where an incredible 670 different species have been recorded within an area intermediate to that of Wales and Belgium. For amateur botanists, the gorgeous wild flowers of the forests and mountains are capped by more than 100 orchid species in Nyungwe alone, as well as the otherworldly giant lobelia, a floral refugee from a science-fiction film set” said Bahizi


“Nyungwe is rightly celebrated for the rich variety of its flora and fauna. This is why we came here” Said Daniel Bowersax, 30, met at Uwinka camping Site in Nyungwe forest accompanied by his mother Sydney Bowersax, who is 61.

According to ORTPN website and as Edward Bahizi explained to the Rwandan National University fourth year journalism students, at t least 200 different types of tree are found in the forest, along with hundreds of different flowering plants, including wild begonia, more than 100 species of orchid, and sensational giant lobelias. Of the large mammals, primates are the most visible, with 13-recorded species representing 25% of the African primate checklist. Of particular interest is the Angola colobus – delightfully acrobatic arboreal monkeys that move in troops of several hundred – and an estimated 500 chimpanzee, often seen from the forest trails during the rainy season. Other primates likely to be encountered over the course of a visit are L’Hoest’s monkey, velvet monkey, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey, and red-tailed monkey.


Nyungwe tourists to improve more

Tourists met yesterday in Nyungwe National park expressed themselves about what to do to gain more tourists and money from Nyungwe tourism industry
“I felt safe here as everyone can if he/she is here. Only one thing missing is the marketing of this beautiful place” recommended Sydney Bowersax, an American tourist.
As the prices for visiting, camping value from 20$ to 50 $, lowing prices is what will improve tourism in Nyungwe according to Mike Mc Fadyen.

“This year (2007), our aim is to register more than 5000 tourists and 1million$ from Nyungwe. We plan to low prices by next year as many tourists are requiring for it, but we will first hand the issue to the government. About marketing Nyungwe, we do it on our website (www.ortpn.gov.rw) and we plan to attend Berlin and London tourism exhibitions, this year” Said Rosette Rugamba, the ORTPN head officer, on a telephone interview.

Extending for 130 square kilometers across the majestic hills of southeast Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park is one the largest block of montane forest in East or Central Africa, and one of the most ancient, dating back to before the last Ice Age. A uniquely rich centre of floral diversity, the forest has more than 200 different types of tree, and a myriad of flowering plants including the other-worldly giant lobelia and a host of colourful orchids and mahoganies.

Home to more than 275 bird species, Nyungwe is the most important birding site in Rwanda. Most alluring to ornithologists are 24 Albertine Rift endemics – birds whose range is restricted to a handful of montane forests between southern Uganda and northern Burundi

“The 1994 Tutsi genocide was prepared and planned” affirmed Huye Gacaca witnesses

Emmanuel Mungwarakarama

The lists of the Tutsi who had to be killed in the former Karubanda sector of Ngoma commune, Butare prefecture were already elaborated before April 1994. The meeting planning the extermination of KarubandaTutsi used to take place in corbial bar, by the extremists Hutus, between the years of 1990-1994.

This was revealed on Wednesday the 18 of January 2007, by Venuste Nkurunziza and Françoise Kayirangwa, Gacaca witnesses during the session of Butare Ville Gacaca court of Huye district in the Southern Province of Rwanda. These testimonies come 3 months after Bourguière, a French judge, declared arresting mandates for the high military leaders of Rwanda, accusing them of having killed the former president of Rwanda Habyarimana Juvenal. According to Bourguière, the 1994 genocide was a direct consequence of Habyarimana’s death, and not prepared and planned massacres as the Kigali regime believes.

“On 7th April 1994, a short while after the crash of Habyarimana’s Faustin Twagirayezu who was our local leaders in 1994 was circulating with a list of Karubanda Tutsis to be killed. On 21st, he and Habyarimana’s regime soldiers used the same list and killed many of our neighbours Tutsi.” Said Venuste Nkurunziza.


Tutsis were imprisoned, mistreated before 1994

Françoise Kayirangwa, a 1994 genocide survivor and widow of late Innocent Gashayija, killed during the 1994 genocide, said that since October 1990, after FPR inkotanyi rebellion attacked the Habyarimana regime , Tutsis were considered as enemies of the nation, she said, “ In Groupe( a catholic secondary school in Huye District) where my husband was working, emerged the Pawa (power) group. It was a group of extremists Hutu professors, resigned to exterminate their Tutsi fellows. This is the reason why Nyabusimba Benoit (accused of participating in 1994 genocide at Karubanda) imprisoned my husband in November 1990.” Nyandwi, another witness currently on studies in Canada, wrote in his testimony that he, also, has been imprisoned by Nyabusimba in 1991, for the same reason of seeming to be inkotanyi inside the country

Gacaca jurisdictions, a way to Rwandans unity and reconciliation

More than one million of people were killed during the 1994 Tutsi genocide. More than 115,000 other taken in jail. . The twelve specialised courts have been able to give a decision on about 5,864 cases between December 1996 and 2000. It would, then have been necessary to work during about 60 years in order to try the 115.000 persons who have been detained until that time in addition to those suspected of participation to genocide but still free. According to Kigali regime, It was therefore necessary to use a one of a kind justice system, inspired by the traditional Rwandan system of settling disputes and the aim of which was, not only the punishment of the guilty person, but also and above all social harmony and cohesion. According to the Rwandan government, the system requires the participation of every one to rebuilding justice, because it is in that participatory manner that the crimes have been perpetrated in broad daylight.

In 2000, the Supreme Court has been endowed with a 6th court called "Gacaca Courts Department". Since 2002, Gacaca Courts Department was replaced by the National Service of Gacaca Courts so as to coordinate the Gacaca Courts activities and speed up this process. According to the National Service of Gacaca Courts report of December 2006, more than 152,000 of the persons accused of participating in the 1994 genocide have already been judged from April to December 2006, and more than 650.000 others are to be judged this year (2007) by the elected and integrated local persons.

Interview exclusive avec Karekezi Olivier

Bagirishya Jean de Dieu

D’ici deux ans, Olivier Karekezi n’était qu’un simple médiateur de l’équipe nationale Amavubi et d’APR FC. Aujourd’hui, l’attaquant populaire de Helsingborg HIF (équipe de la première Division en Suède) est l’un des stars de la région des grands lacs et le troisième meilleur butteur d’Allsevnskan (Championnat suédois) pour la saison récente. Etant en vacances de Noël ici au Rwanda, Karekezi s’est exprimé sur sa carrière en tant que footballeur professionnel et capitaine des Amavubi.

Grand Lac Sport (GLS) : Olivier Karekezi, tu viens de boucler une belle saison avec ton équipe de Helsingborg, que tu as rejoint, voici deux ans, qu’est ce qui se trouve derrière ce succès ?

Olivier Karekezi (Ol.Kar) : (….petit rire) L’essentiel c’est d’être discipliné, et faire des entraînements comme il faut. Rien d’extra ordinaire que je suis parti en Suède. Et d’ailleurs avec l’ancien coach national (Le Suédois Roger Palmgren), je m’étais habitué aux entraînements du genre. En premier lieux, c’était difficile car j’ai terminé la saison avec 5 buts seulement. Mais, je viens de boucler ma deuxième saison avec 11 buts à mon compte, étant troisième meilleur butteur du championnat, le premier ayant marqué 15 buts. Si jamais je ne change pas d’équipe dans la saison prochaine qui démarre en Avril, je crois que je vais faire encore plus pour honorer mon pays.

GLS : L’arrivé de Henrik Larson en provenance de FC Barcelone n’aurait pas eu d’influence sur la bonne saison que vous venez de réaliser ?

Ol. Kar : (….Un rire exclamatif) Larson est un joueur, je ne sais pas comment le dire mais c’est un joueur excellent. Beaucoup disent qu’il est un peu vieux pour jouer mais moi je ne l’ai pas vu. A voir son jeu, il est trop intelligent. Il me facilite trop la tache car partout où je suis, il y pointe son regard et me donne la balle. Je me réjouis d’avoir évolué à coté de Larson au cours de ma carrière footballistique.

GLS: Il y a d’autres Africains en Helsingborg dont le Kenyan MC Donald Mariga et le Malien Adama Tamboura, des relations que vous menez avec eux, n’auraient pas eu un impact positif sur votre belle saison ?

Ol.Kar : Rien de spécial avec les Africains, nous semblons avoir tous une même culture .Ils m’ont trouvé la bas et j’ai fait de mon mieux pour leur aider à s’adapter très rapidement. Il y a aussi un Ougandais qui approche, lui et les autres comme tant d’autres recevront mon accueil chaleureux et je ferai de mon mieux pour rehausser mon jeu.

GLS : Olivier, vous avez un nouveau coach au nom de Stuart Baxter (ancien coach de Bafana Bafana), votre Capitaine Granvqist vient de signer pour Wigan Athletics d’Angleterre et Larson est désormais attaquant de Manchester United. Un nouveau coach suivi par le départ de deux grands joueurs, je crois que c’est une mauvaise chose pour une équipe qui bientôt joue l’UEFA cup ?

Ol.Kar : Notre nouveau coach est venu quand notre équipe était classée dixième, en deux mois, nous avons terminé la saison étant quatrième. C’est un excellent leaders je t’assure. Larson reviendra en Mars et le championnat se rouvrira en Avril. Granvqist, notre capitaine actuellement en Wigan, va revenir après six mois je crois. Si le coach les a laissés partir, c’est qu’il est assuré de leur couverture. Moi je ne vois pas de problème sérieux si Larson revient en Mars.

GLS : La fois passée sur rwandafootball.com, vous aviez promis au Rwandais de leur dire un mot sur votre future en Helsingborg, allez vous changer d’équipe d’ici peu ?

Ol.Kar : Mon contrat avec Helsingborg s’étend sur d’autres six mois. Je suis en contact avec une équipe hollandaise et Wigan Athletics d’Angleterre. Si je garde ou j’augmente mon niveau de jeu au cours de ses six mois qui reste, je crois que je vais changer d’équipe en été sans problème.


GLH : Egalement, tu fait partie du capitanat de l’équipe nationale Amavubi, que souhaiteriez vous pour réaliser une 2007 fructueuse ?

Ol. Kar : Je ne demande par de merveilles. D’abord que les Rwandais accordent du temps à l’équipe dirigeante de la FERWAFA. Et puis que ces derniers ramènent certains des joueurs qui ont déserté l’équipe. Je ne me réjouis pas du fait que mon équipe nationale chute de jour à jour. Et puis, que le coach change positivement notre équipe, nous en sommes prêts.

GLH : Votre ancien club, APR FC, entame la CECAFA Kagame cup, aujourd’hui, un rendez vous que vous n’allez pas raté, je pense ?

Ol. Kar : Bien sur que je vais être là. J’ai suivi les matchs d’APR FC pendant la Primus Cup. J’ai constaté une belle qualité des joueurs comme Kabanda et Lomami. APR FC qui avait remporté la coupe en 2004, n’était pas si bon que celle que j’ai vu. Je vais leur aider car je suis ici jusque le 16 de ce mois. Mais je suis sur que nous (Rwandais) allons remporter la coupe sans doute.

GLH : Dernière question Olivier, vous etes parti en Europe, et vous y tenez bon, L’on se demande pourquoi nous ne voyons pas beaucoup de Rwandais en Europe. Qu’est ce que vous en dites ?

Ol.Kar : Je vous assure qu’il y a beaucoup de joueurs Rwandais, capables d’évoluer en Europe. Palmgren (ancien coach d’Amavubi) avait essayé de connecter pas moins de 8 joueurs à l’Europe. Maintenant que l’Allemand Michael Nees a pris sa place, je crois et je souhaite qu’il fasse du même. Nous sommes plus fier quand nous avons plus de cinq joueurs en équipe nationale.

GLH : Olivier, merci pour cette interview.

Ol.Kar : Je vous en prie.