Haruna Niyozima, the renowned player of the Rwandan national football team, Amavubi, and recent recruit of AS Kigali, has stated his clear goals for the club: to help them win both the Peace Cup and the Hero’s Cup this season.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Haruna
Niyozima participated in his second training session with AS Kigali, after his
first session the previous day.
His move to AS Kigali followed his
decision to terminate his contract with Rayon Sports due to unmet promises from
the club, as he explained when leaving.
During an interview with the press
on Tuesday, Haruna Niyozima expressed his optimism about the team’s prospects,
saying, “This is my second training session with AS Kigali, and from the
training and the atmosphere among the players, I can say the team is doing
well. I believe AS Kigali will announce me soon, but this training means
something.”
Haruna went on to explain, “AS
Kigali is a team I have played for twice before. The team has its own media
handlers and management, and I prefer not to say too much about it. The fact
that I am training with AS Kigali speaks for itself.”
He also agreed with his coach’s
comment that having him in the team is a blessing, not just for his skills but
for the experience he brings. “I wouldn’t hesitate to say that I am a senior
player or an expert in football. The special thing about AS Kigali is that it
is a team I’ve played for, and it’s at home, in Rwanda. This feels true, just
as the coach said, that he would be happy to have a player like me in his team.
Yes, I am a player, but I’ve been in football for a long time, and I continue
to learn.”
Haruna praised his teammates for
their strong performance in the first half of the season, which ended with AS
Kigali in third place. “For AS Kigali to finish in the top three is no small
achievement, especially when compared to the capabilities of teams like Police
FC, APR FC, and Rayon Sports. I want to thank my teammates because it’s not
easy to be in third place behind Rayon Sports and APR FC.”
Asked about his future in football,
Haruna Niyozima reflected thoughtfully, saying, “No one can predict the future,
but I don’t like to talk about it because I’m not God. However, I have many
plans in my mind, and I think a lot about football. We are also planning for
the future with the association of former national team players. But for now,
I’m still a player, and as time goes on, people will learn what Haruna Niyozima
has planned for the future.”
Haruna Niyozima is determined that
AS Kigali must win both the Peace Cup and the Hero’s Cup, emphasizing that this
is not the first time he has won trophies with the club. “We at AS Kigali need
these two trophies, and they are achievable. Both the Peace Cup and the Hero’s
Cup are within reach because it’s not the first time I will win a trophy with
AS Kigali, having already won the Peace Cup and the Super Cup with them.”
He concluded with confidence,
saying, “Winning the Peace Cup with AS Kigali will not be by chance. When
people talk about the Peace Cup, they should think of AS Kigali.”
If confirmed as a player for AS
Kigali, this will mark Haruna Niyozima’s third stint with the club. He has
previously played for various teams, including APR FC, Rayon Sports, Young
Africans, Simba Sports Club, and has also played in the Libyan league.