Africa
Rwandan President Kagame frustrated by Arsenal defeat
Rwandan President, Paul Kagame has expressed displeasure over Arsenal’s defeat by Brentford.
Kagame who is well known for being an Arsenal fan, vented his frustration on twitter, stating that as a club, the Gunners must not accept mediocrity.
Arsernal was beaten 2-0 by newsly promoted Brentford on the opening day of the English Premier League season. Friday’s game was the first top-tier game for Brentford in 74 years.
Paul Kagame
After Friday’s away game, President Kagame tweeted: “We just must NOT excuse or Accept mediocrity. A team has to be built with purpose to win win win. So that when we lose….it was not to be expected! I am sure we all know on whose shoulders the heaviest burden rests. I hope they know too or even accept it!!!”
In two further rapid-fire tweets, he demanded “a plan that really works” and lamented that “fans don’t deserve to kind of get used to this”.
Since 2018, the Rwandan government has had a controversial sponsorship deal worth more than £30m ($42m), which involves a “Visit Rwanda” logo displayed on Arsenal shirt sleeves.
Critics have said it is an example of the authoritarian leader of a poor, African country subsidising a wealthy football club. But the Rwandan government says the sponsorship more than pays for itself over in tourism revenue.
Under President Kagame, the landlocked country has recovered from ethnic strife and genocide in the 1990s. In 2018 the World Bank praised its “remarkable development successes”.
But Mr Kagame has faced criticism at home and abroad over its political and human rights record.
