There is no room for witchcraft in sports, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame warns

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has labelled the alleged use of witchcraft in sports as regressive while criticizing the country’s football officials who reportedly squander funds on occultism instead of channeling the monies into improving their squads.

Speaking on Wednesday during the 10-year anniversary of Youth Connekt, a platform that unites youth with their role models in order to spur employability, Kagame insisted that witchcraft has no place in football while urging attendees to steer clear of such practices.

“Witchcraft is primitive. You should not accept it. If they go in competitions with only this in mind, that’s why they always come back with failure. You must only be absolutely foolish because if you tried something so many times and it doesn’t work, why do you keep repeating it and make it a habit?” Kagame is quoted as saying by the New Times.

"With these actions, sports can go nowhere. These are things that have to stop in the first place."

Kagame's sentiments were preceded by a July order in which he directed Rwandan football officials to address issues such as witchcraft and unprofessionalism which are plaguing the sport in the East African nation.

He likewise indicated that his intervention might become necessary if the challenges within Rwanda's sports realm persist.

Kagame issued the order in response to inquiries from the country's political elite who questioned why Rwanda's national sports teams fail to perform on the global stage despite notable investments from his administration.