After a two and half hour road journey from the Rwandan capital, Kigali to Huye in the southern part of the country, I eventually landed on the province that lives, dreams and eats football.
In the company of my two great journalism pals – Timothy Obululu (Kenyan) and Tony Eric Ukurikiyimfura (Rwandese), we boarded a Huye bound taxi at around 10 a.m local time.
The trio shared something common with the other 22 passengers on the vehicle – football talk.
The road journey was made more appealing – thanks to the smooth road network and the self provided entertainment of my favourite King Saha album.
Along the way, we encountered the famous Kabageyi mass graves from the 1994 infamous genocide as tears rolled down my cheek for obvious reasons.
Barely three kilometers to Butare (Home of Huye), the heavens started to drizzle ‘cats and dogs’.
Eventually, the drizzles converted to a serious down pour.
By the time, I reached the refurished Huye Stadium, a kilometer long queue of chanting and passionate football fans, majority of whom were DR Congo nationals had braved the rains to enter the stadium 2 hours to the game.
On a personal level, I was impressed the stadium playing turf, changing rooms and the media center.
DR Congo’s 3-0 victory over CECAFA side, Ethiopia was the best reward the team could over to the fans who braved and endured the rains.
The passion exhibited by the locals with the mixture of the lively Congolese fans was as eye catching.
Fans drummed and blew the trumpets from onset up to the last whistle.
The Huye stadium DJ could be a big fan of Ugandan musical duo of Moze and Radio as he played the famous ‘Talk and Talk’ song at half time, much to the delight of the fans in the terraces who included the legendary Roger Milla of Cameroon.
Fans still watched the second game that came hours later at the same stadium between Cameroon and Angola.
Like in the first, they cheered every move, dribble, pass and the only goal of the day scored by Emane of Cameroon.
After the lively second game and the post match press conference, it was time to embark on the return journey back to my home, Kigali for the night as I planned for the next day’s programme.
Till we meet again.
