Africa-Press – Uganda. They say never meet your heroes!
But Arsenal fans across Africa have a chance to engage their club legends in the inaugural Arsenal Africa Convention due June 13-18 in Kigali, Rwanda expected to attract 10,000 people.
The legends like Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu, club coaches and officials are expected to hold; a conference, football camps, bring genuine merchandise from London, party with fans, and also play against Mamelodi Sundowns in a friendly.
In Kampala last weekend, RG Consults Inc. an events management company working with Kenya’s Panda Soccer Africa and London’s Fuse Soccer – which is in charge of coordinating things with Arsenal – started a campaign to register fans before they announce the financial requirements for the convention.
A quick search through social media shows there are many Arsenal fan groups in the country. You, fans reading this, probably belong to some on WhatsApp too.
RG need these to bring the wider community together but also find ways of how the informal income earning fans; like boda boda riders, food vendors, can be interested. Arsenal’s form in the English Premier League could be a catching point.
According to RG chief executive officer Remmy Lubega, they expect “10 coaches from Arsenal in Kigali” and are targeting 25 African clubs and 20 African federations for the football conference that will discuss the challenges of the game on the continent.
Rwanda is intentionally investing in sports to promote their tourism through; hosting events like the Basketball Africa League at the eye catching BK Arena, improving standards of facilities like Amahoro Stadium and Gahanga Cricket Oval but their most popular sports relationship is the Visit Rwanda campaign displayed on the kits of Arsenal and French club PSG.
No fraud
Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye, the former chairman of local club Police an ardent Arsenal fan, put up his hand to be at the fore of this activation campaign.
“This is an exciting time for me as an Arsenal fan since 1995,” said Kasingye who fell in love with the club after watching it at Highbury then.
“Over time we have remained just fans, enthusiastic but without knowing how the club or supporting it financially. But time comes when we need to upgrade to supporters and that goes for the clubs we have here.
We need to leverage on how this convention can improve football in Uganda and we should have the biggest number there as we are nearer and can even walk there on foot if need arises,” Kasingye said before adding that “this is a genuine program and Ugandans can trust us that this convention will happen.”
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