Olivier Karekezi Set To Be Named New SC Kiyovu Coach

Rwanda Premier League side SC Kiyovu hopes to finalize their move Olivier Karekezi before the resumption of sporting activities in the East African country.

Kiyovu have been locked in talks with the 37-year-old throughout the week and are now on the verge of naming the legendary footballer as the replacement to Dieudonné Mugunga, who resigned five months ago.

Karekezi is expected to sign a contract taking him through to 2022 following detailed discussions with the Kiyovu hierarchy, including the club vice-president Theódoro Ntarindwa.

A source also disclosed to local publication New Times that Kiyovu’s interim head coach Emmanuel Ruremesha would be the team’s assistant coach while club legend Djabil Mutarambirwa will be demoted to second assistant coach.

“The talks are still ongoing between the two parties. There is nothing substantial yet but they look promising,” the source said. “Everyone (at the club) would wish to have Karekezi as our coach, his vast knowledge and experience in the game would be a valuable addition.”

Karekezi, the national team’s all-time leading scorer at 25 goals, previously coached another Rwanda Premier League side Rayon Sports back in 2017, where his contract lasted for a month.

The former national team skipper holds a UEFA ‘A License’ he obtained in 2014 after he coached a youth team in Sweden.

The Rwanda Premier was suspended mid-March owing to the current Covid-19 situation with the country put under total lockdown on March 21 to curb the spread of the virus.

As a result, all sporting activities, including football, were postponed to an indefinite date. However, on May 4th, the country announced new measures which will see the league resume starting September 2020, with training starting a month earlier [August].