Unprepared National Teams Will No Longer Represent Rwanda, Says Sports Minister

Appearing before the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Mukazayire said the decision follows repeated cases of teams receiving large sums of money but failing to perform.

“It has been observed that some national teams travel abroad after receiving over 300 million francs, yet they come back without any results,” she said. “From now on, no team will be cleared to travel unless there is a clear training plan and realistic performance goals. If we cannot expect results, we will not fund it.”

The minister emphasized that the new approach is part of a broader effort to promote accountability and efficiency in sports management. The Ministry of Sports has instructed all federations that public funds will only be disbursed when there are detailed plans for activities and transparent reporting mechanisms.

Mukazayire added that no federation will receive new funding without submitting reports on how previous allocations were used. “Federations must present financial reports within 15 days after receiving funds. Those that fail to comply will not receive further support,” she said.

She further noted that by the end of 2025, all federations must have submitted complete financial reports for the fiscal years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The ministry has already addressed audit concerns related to 9.7 billion francs previously allocated to federations, ensuring that all expenditures are now properly documented.

Mukazayire also highlighted ongoing initiatives to build sports from the grassroots, including interschool and university competitions aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent.

Permanent Secretary Candy Basomingera reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to transparency and performance. “These measures are not meant to limit sports,” she said, “but to ensure that every franc spent contributes to real progress for Rwanda’s athletes and the nation.”