Kigali, 5 December 2014
President Kagame today hosted the Rwanda National Cycling team to a reception at Serena Hotel, to congratulate them for winning this year’s Tour du Rwanda, a continental cycling championship held annually in Rwanda.
In his address, President Kagame congratulated the winner, Valens Ndayisenga and the entire team, the team coach, the Ministry of Sports and the Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) making the country proud:
“The triumph of the Karisimbi team is a reflection of the Rwandan spirit; sacrifice, teamwork, resilience and discipline. Discipline makes everything sustainable because without it, you cannot expect to keep winning. Instead, you keep experiencing decline.”
President Kagame pledged his support to the team so that it can achieve more, by building on what they already have:
“You deserve support because you have earned it. We will ensure that you are not lacking in anything that you need to perform better. We will avail the tools you need and leave the rest to you to realise your potentials.”
The Minister of Sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza said the original idea came from President Kagame, who suggested to him that Rwandans should stop concentrating on the mainstream sports disciplines and venture into others like cycling.