In the lead-up to the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, the national cycling federation (FERWACY) continues to be in turmoil.
Apart from senior members of the FERWACY reportedly under scrutiny from Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), on Monday September 18, the first vice president Francios Karagwa resigned from his role.
The cycling body released a statement announcing that Karagwa as the first VP had written to members informing them of his resignation from the role.
Karagwa is the second official to resign in the cycling establishment in less than a month, following his colleague at the top Abdallah Murenzi, the former Ferwacy president who threw in the towel on August 31.
On August 21 the secretary-general of FERWACY, Benoît Munyankindi, was arrested by RIB on multiple charges over suspicions that he engaged in favouritism, forgery, and falsification.
Munyankindi is detained while his case is being prepared for submission to national public prosecutors.
Following Munyankindi’s arrest, the former president Abdallah Murenzi, was also reported to be under investigation on suspicion of being an accomplice.
“Murenzi knew about [Munyankindi’s case] but took no action,” an RIB spokesperson said.
“Murenzi knew about [Munyankindi’s case] but took no action,” an RIB spokesperson said.
Rwanda’s anti-corruption legislation is strict, with Munyankindi potentially facing a prison term of up to seven years or fines up to Rwf2 million.
A conviction on forgery grounds could also attract a jail sentence of five to seven years, a fine of up to Rwf5 million or both. The scope of Murenzi’s potential punishment has not been specified.
