The Rwandan cycling sport is reputed for its good performance earned within three past years. This has increased the Rwandan image at the international level in this regard. However, our sources claim that the association is facing divisive threats between cyclists and coaches and the association management at large.
This threats result from the fact that the cyclists are under estimated by some of the senior managers, our sources claim.
It is world widely known that all sports are fundamentally based on the players whose motivation must be kept warm and stable, otherwise all become futile.
The above mentioned under estimation and mistreatment towards the cyclists in the Rwanda Cycling Federation was made public in 2015 but it was calmed and improved thereafter.
The outcome was that Rwandan cyclist Jean Bosco Nsengimana won the 2016 Tour du Rwanda, making his country proud.
As the 2016 Tour du Rwanda is ahead, news affirm that there are three cyclists suspended from the team due to their indiscipline, the Rwanda Cycling federation officials claim.
Our sources claim that foreign white skinned coaches in the Musanze’ Africa Rising Cycling Center based are the main disturbing root of the current discomfort.
Bicyclers such as Emile Bintunimana, Patrick Byukusenge the captain of the Team Rwanda and Camera Hakuzimana are fired from the team and other more others are said to have been chased away as well.
The management of the Rwanda Cycling Federation revealed that it is preparing and forming other cyclists ahead.
The Team Rwanda Initiative’ Jonathan Boyer revealed that Emile Bintunimana who successfully won La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Gabon, was fired even though, he affirms, was a promising cyclist.
Individual summarized details on the case:
Emile Bintunimana
Bintunimana Emile participated also in different competitions and performed well thereafter.
In 2015 Bintunimana participated into Tour of Egypt, Tour du Cameron, and another cycling competition held in South Africa.
He won the Nyagatare – Rwamagana tour during the 2015 Rwanda Cycling Cup and the Kigali – Huye during the 2015 Tour du Rwanda.
Patrick Byukusenge
He was meant to become the Team Rwanda captain in replacement of Hadi Janvier who went to integrate the BikeAid team in Germany.
However this didn’t happened as he is definitely fired from the Team Rwanda.
Our sources say that he was fired due to the fact that he got married and held a honeymoon without prior notification to his superiors.
He was meant to attend the Vuelta a Colombia held this year in June, 13-26.
At his side, Byukusenge said that he was ready to get married and participated into the competition without enjoying the honeymoon but he, surprisingly, heard that he was fired from the Team Rwanda.
However the Rwanda Cycling Federation manager Aimable Bayingana denied Byukusenge was fired by the federation but, rather, he removed himself from the team.
He added that Byukusenge might have chosen to quit the Team due to personal wishes and therefore, the federation is not bearing responsibility in this issue.
More sports observers, including journalists, were not convinced by the explanations of Bayingana as the said cyclist was not in a special situation that was likely pressing him to quit the team.
Patrick Byukusenge was regarded as an emerging star in the carrier especially in climbing more elevated areas as he proved himself able during international competitions such as La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, the Grand Tour d’Algérie, and finally during the Tour of Eritrea.
In Rwanda he performed better in Rwanda Cycling Cup, Northern Circuit 2015, and during the Race to Remember 2016.
He came number 11 during the Tour du Rwanda 2014; he became number five during the Tour du Rwanda 2015.
The entire above details portrait Byukusenge as an aspiring cyclist who ambitions were to become a national and international figure in this regard.
Camera Hakuzimana
He is 23 years old. He, and the Team Rwanda who participated into the Vuelta a Colombia, claim that living conditions were not easy as the coach Sterling Magnell told them there were no sufficient financial means to cater about them.
As they were back in Kigali, he was suspended after having revealed to media the harsh conditions they lived in.
Few days later, bike and his other tools were removed from him and was therefore fired.
He apologized at Musanze center but was refused for apologies thereafter.
FERWACY president Aimable Bayingana said that Camera was not fired but he decided to quit the team as Byukusenge did.
He( Bayingana) told Umuseke that there was no further step towards the cyclist as to learn more on the motives of his so-called decision to quit, as the FERWACY management discovered his motives earlier.
He added that asking him such questions would a waste of time ad futile.
Hakuzimana Camera won the third number of the Tour du Cameroun. He also became number seven during the Fenkil Northen Red Sea Challenge (Eritrea).
In 2015, he came number three of the Tour du Rwanda 2015, and was crowned the best combatant in the Vuelta a Colombia 2016.
Girubuntu Jeanne d’Arc( the only Rwandan female international cyclist)
On March, 22, 2016 she embarked on board towards Switzerland to attend training at the International Cycling Federation.
Few days later, she felt painful due to muscles after deep diagnosis she was found unable to keep the training further.
She therefore returned back to Rwanda for medical checkups and fellow ups that didn’t happened further.
On June, 22 she managed to win the female cycling competition that she won.
Girubuntu fell again sick and didn’t attend the Switzerland and she is no longer participating in the Rwanda Cycling Cup.
She didn’t benefit from medical assistance since then but, at the other side, the FERWACY management claims that she is under medical care.
Girubuntu has the record to be first black skinned female cyclist to have participated into the World Cycling Championship held in Richmond, Virginia, USA, in 2015.
She become the second winner as an individual time trial during the Africa cycling championship held in Morocco as well as being the first winner in the Rwanda cycling cup, 2016 edition.
Team Rwanda is no longer living in the Africa Rising Cycling Center based in Musanze
November, 2014, The Head of State, Paul Kagame received the Team Rwanda during a reception held at home commonly known as Village Urugwiro.
The Team Rwanda was accompanied by Jonathan Boyer who urged the Head of State to provide the national team with necessary means for it to become more performing and win more tours.
At that time Valens Ndayisenga was the 2014 Tour du Rwanda winner, being the first Rwandan to win it since its inception in 2009.
Jonathan told President Kagame that training a cyclist who aspires to win international tours requires more care.
President Kagame promised that all challenges facing the National Cycling team will be removed as to help them win more medals and cups.
The promise from President Kagame materialized but, according to some of cyclists, there are no longer benefiting from the facilities made available by the President Kagame as most of them were urged to quit the center based in Musanze district.
We were urged to quit the center and were to be called upon every time necessary especially few weeks before a given tour starts, some of them told Umuseke.rw.
They left the center in July and Ethiopian and Eritrean female cyclists integrated it for more training sessions.
Based on details above, at least seven renowned cyclists are meant not to attend the forthcoming Tour du Rwanda.
They comprise of four professionals (Hadi Janvier, Valens Ndayisenga, Nsengimana Jean Bosco and Uwizeyimana Bonaventure), and other three chased away from the Team Rwanda in shadowy circumstances namely Emile Bintunimana, Byukusenge Patrick and Hakuzimana Camera.
UM– USEKE.RW
