Rwandan President Paul Kagame has criticized the alleged use of witchcraft in sports, deeming it regressive. He also expressed disapproval of football officials in the country reportedly misusing funds on occult practices instead of investing in the improvement of their teams.
Speaking at the 10-year celebration of Youth Connekt, a platform that connects youth with role models to enhance employability, Kagame strongly asserted that witchcraft has no place in football. He encouraged attendees to reject such practices.
Kagame’s comments included the viewpoint that relying on witchcraft is primitive and counterproductive. He questioned the logic of persisting with unsuccessful practices, stating that if a strategy hasn’t yielded results after multiple attempts, it should not be perpetuated.
He emphasized that these actions are detrimental to the progress of sports and called for them to cease immediately.
Kagame’s stance follows a directive he issued in July, directing Rwandan football officials to tackle issues like witchcraft and unprofessionalism that have been affecting sports in the East African nation. He implied that if these challenges persist, his involvement might be necessary to address them.
Kagame’s decision to issue the directive stemmed from inquiries by the country’s political leaders, who raised concerns about the underperformance of Rwanda’s national sports teams on the global stage, despite substantial investments made by his administration.