The 2023/24 Rwanda Premier League season kicks off Friday, August 18, as football fans and pundits are set to witness another grueling ten months of football action.
The past two seasons were keenly contested and they will go down in the history books of Rwandan football as the two most competitive seasons in years.
APR shrugged off stiff opposition from Kiyovu Sports to win the Premier League title during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 editions. In all these seasons, the likes of Rayon Sports and AS Kigali also posed a major threat as at some point in the season but the military side held their nerve to storm to the crown.
A lot has changed going into the new season. APR backtracked their decade long policy of using only home grown players and opened the door to foreign players this transfer window as they begin a new era.
Rayon, on the other side, lost their top scorer in the 2022/23 season Leandre Willy Onana to Simba who will be too difficult for the Blues to replace so soon. However, they were very active in the transfer market, bringing in good replacements such as Ugandan striker Charles Bbaale and Moroccan forward Youssef Rharb.
Meanwhile, the likes of Kiyovu, Police and AS Kigali strengthened their squads, meaning that it won’t be a two-horse title race either.
Weekend Sport’s Edmund Okai Gyimah answers your questions before the new league season kicks off on Friday.
Can APR make it five in a row?
The military side has won the Rwandan Premier League title on four consecutive occasions and they are aiming for a fifth title.
It might not be easy for them with Rayon Sports, Kiyovu SC, Police, AS Kigali and Mukua VS already having their eyes on the title as well.
Undoubtedly, as defending champions APR will start the campaign as favourites. They have made some great signings including Ismail Nshimirimana, Sharaf Shaiboub and Taddeo Lwanga. The trio can walk into the first eleven of any club on the African continent.
However, the main problem in the team remains in attack and at the back. Victor Mbaoma and Apam Assongwe struggled against Mukura and in the Super Cup against Rayon Sports where the Army side were humiliated 3-0.
It is now certain that the duo will need time to adjust to the league. If coach Thierry Froger wants to hit the ground running, he must probably have to stick to the likes of Yannick Bizimana, Gilbert Mugisha and others who know the league inside out.
Can Rayon Sports finally end their title jinx?
Rayon Sports and APR are undoubtedly the two biggest teams in Rwanda.
While APR have won the league title four times in a row, Rayon’s last triumph was in the 2018/19 season. They, however, produced a sterling performance that saw them win the 2022/23 Peace Cup and Super Cup.
The Blues are capable of winning the title only if they remain focused. Last season, they were on top of the table at some point but allowed the title to slip through their hands after losing their crucial match against Gorilla FC.
Under new head coach Yamen Zelfani, Rayon Sports have the needed materials such as Joackiam Ojera, Rharb Youssef, Eric Ngendahimana, Abdul Rwatubyaye, and Charles Bbaale to end their five-year title jinx.
Who could win the golden boot?
The Rwanda Premier League will have a new top scorer next season following the departures of 2022/23 golden boot winner Leandre Onana who moved to Simba while Hussein Shabani, who won it in the 2020/21 season, also left AS Kigali for Al Ta’won in Libya.
Sunrise FC striker Yafesi Mubiru, who finished with two goals behind Onana last season, is still at the club. The Nyagatare-based club have also acquired the third top scorer Robert Mukoghotya from Mukura VS. Any of the two attackers have the tendency to finish as top scorer.
Also Rayon’s Charles Bbaale who had an impressive season in the Ugandan Premier League during the 2022/23 season can also be the surprise package whereas others like Police FC’s Didier Mugisha and APR’s Victor Mbaoma just need a good start to reign supreme.
…and the golden glove?
The ongoing transfer window has been very unique. For the first time in the Rwandan Premier League, there were some great signings in terms of goalkeeping by clubs.
Rayon signed Simon Tamale who was the best goalkeeper in the Ugandan Premier League last season although he is struggling to convince his coach Zelfani. APR acquired Congolese shot stopper Pavelh Ndzila, Musanze FC signed Gambian national team vice-captain Modou Jobe while Amagaju also signed Burundian keeper Patient Wakiniraga between their posts.
They are arguably the leading candidates for the golden glove but they must be ready for tough challenges from household goalkeeper Yves Kimenyi, who now plies his trade AS Kigali and Nikolas Ssebwato of Mukura.
Who else can challenge for the title?
AS Kigali and Kiyovu SC also experienced a major squad overhaul and change of technical staff. Kiyovu, for instance, released as many as ten regular players including the likes of APR’s new signings Ismail Nshimirimana, Erisa Keith Ssekisambu, Bienvenue Mugenzi and others who were their best players last season but the club believes new head coach Petros Koukouras can build a strong team that can chase the title yet again.
Police FC have also been doing their own things and coach Vincent Miashami will undoubtedly be under intense pressure if he does not deliver results after the club bought him the players he needed.
Mashami and some of his players know how to win the league title and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they lift one with the law enforcers.
AS Kigali can’t be easily written off the title either although the club seems to be in an administrative crisis as they are yet to appoint a president since Shema Fabrice resigned.
Star players including Hussein Shabani goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari and Seif Niyonzima led the club’s squad exodus but Andre Casa Mbungo still believes he can do without them.
How will the new signings shape the season?
The likes of Taddeo Lwanga, Sharaf Shaiboub, Youssef Rharb, Charles Bbaale and others are already known names in the East African context. Lwanga and Shaiboub excelled with Simba, Bbaale is known in Uganda and Youssef is not new to Rwandans having previously played on loan at Rayon from Raja in 2021.
However, there are a host of players that fans should watch out for as they can end the season among the top players in the league.
Mukura Victory new signing Samuel Pimpong is a skilful left footed winger. He previously played for Dreams FC and Berekum Chelsea in the Ghana Premier League as well as Africa United in the United Arab Emirates.
He set up a goal in Mukura’s 2-1 victory over Ivory Noire in preseason and was instrumental in the goalless draw against APR as well as the 3-3 draw with Kiyovu Sports.
Also Kiyovu signed a talented Liberian attacker in Mikel Freeman from Oilers FC. He has pace, is clinical and can operate anywhere in attack.
