Rwanda: Kagame Slams Corruption, Witchcraft in Rwandan Football

President Paul Kagame has once again called out witchcraft and corruption in local football, saying the two factors are the reason why he stopped attending local football matches at stadiums.

He made the comments on Wednesday, January 24, during the national dialogue “Umushyikirano” in Kigali.

Kagame last attended a football match at a Rwandan stadium in 2016 when the country hosted the African Nations Championship (CHAN) during which Rwanda reached the quarterfinals.

The head of state had since not been to a local football match, a decision former Rwanda international and current Amavubi assistant coach Jimmy Mulisa wants him to reconsider and return to the matches considering Rwanda’s perfect start to the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers coupled with the impending completion of state-of-the-art Amahoro National Stadium which is under major upgrade.

“I remember back in the days, you used to come and support us. Some might know that Rwanda recently beat South Africa and we are going to a very nice stadium, we would like to see you back,” Mulisa said.

But Kagame insisted that Rwandan football has been marred by various malpractices, dominated by witchcraft and corruption, which stopped him from attending football games anymore.

“The reason I stopped watching football games was partly because of corruption and witchcraft in tournaments. I can’t be part of that because it is primitive,” Kagame said.

“Once it changes, I will frequent them again.”

This is not the first time that the head of state has raised alarm about such practices in local football.

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