Tuyisenge: My new club is professionally run
Rwandese striker Jacque Tuyisenge left Kogalo as a club legend. He is one of the top 5 scorers in the history of the club. His most memorable goal was perhaps the one that left Everton flat footed. He scored several crucial goals. Most notably the goal against Supersport of South Africa that secured a place in the group stage for the first time ever
Courtesy of the Nation
Former Gor Mahia forward Jacques Tuyisenge has said the prolonged spell off the pitch owing to coronavirus pandemic has left him bored.
The Rwandan hitman enjoyed a successful three-year spell with the 18-time Kenyan champions before completing a record Sh40 million transfer to Angola’s Girabola side Petro Atletico mid-last year.
And in an exclusive interview with Nation Sport from Luanda, Tuyisenge also took the time to compare life in Kenya and Angola, while also heaping praise on the Kenyan media for helping transform him into a player of repute in Africa.
“The coronavirus has affected everyone in the world. It has changed everything,” explained the 28-year-old.
“Life without football for those of us who survive from playing the game is boring. The league here (in Angola) is suspended since March 25. I just sit indoors and at times train alone. We have weekly meetings where the players and coaches meet on WhatsApp or video link and from where instructions on how to train are communicated.”
“My colleagues from other countries share their financial struggles but I am thankful because we still receive our salaries promptly and in full here. It is partly because this is a professionally run club.”
Tuyisenge who previously featured for Police FC in his native Rwanda, also highlighted the communication challenges he faces in Lusophone Angola which predominantly speaks Portuguese, and how his club is helping him to settle down.
“Very few people speak English here. At the club, only two of my teammates from Ghana can communicate in English. It is very hard for me to settle down. Thankfully, the managers brought in a teacher to help the foreign players learn Portuguese. We would learn for two hours a day, three times every week.”
Tuyisenge also recalls his spell in Kenya with pride and looks forward to a meeting on the pitch with his Kenyan ‘brothers’ when Harambee Stars meet Rwanda’s Amavubi in the 2022 World Cup qualification matches later this year.
BEST MATCHES
“Gor Mahia made me the player that I am today. The (Confederation Cup) game against Zamalek was my best every match in a Gor shirt. I look at the highlights even today and feel proud of myself. My performances in these matches and the hype from Kenyan media really helped Petro to know me and follow my performances. I miss the Kenyan fans.”
“I got along well with all players but I was so close to (Ernest) Wendo. (Francis) Kahata was the most talented Kenyan player I worked with. It will be very tough when Rwanda face Kenya in the World Cup matches because Kenya is a big team and will start as the favourites.”
Uganda and Mali are the other teams in Kenya’s group.
“I have been amazed by the professionalism here. All sportsmen are respected and are taken care of well by their clubs. I hope this is will be the case all over Africa because this is what we deserve. Things are not very okay in Kenya but it can be better.”
Tuyisenge is the second Kenyan Premier League player, after Allan Wanga, to move to Angola, where he reportedly takes home Sh700,000 a month on top of a Sh10 million loyalty bonus the club offered him to sign his two-and-a-half-year contract.
He has scored five times in twelve league matches.
Mapigano: Pay me in full or forget about my services
Gor Mahia’s Tanzanian goalkeeper David Mapigano has told the 18-time Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions to pay him all his dues failure to which he will not return to the club.
The goalkeeper has also told the club’s bosses that he will not embark on any contractual negotiations before his salary arrears are paid in full.
Gor has not paid its players salaries running into seven months and there is a possibility of mass exodus of key players who are seeking greener pastures.
The non-payment of salaries at Gor has been occasioned by the exit of shirt sponsors SportPesa in August last year.
However, Mapigano who signed for K’Ogalo in July 2018 from Tanzanian club Singida United, has insisted that he will only return to Kenya from Tanzania and commit his future to Gor after receiving all money owed to him. He has a three-year contract with the 18-time champions which ends in July 2021.
“My coming back to Kenya is dependent on whether or not I get my money. It is simple, If I am not paid, I will not come back. Gor owes me a lot of money and I have given the club time to honour its promise but that has not happened. It will not be a good idea for me to come (back to Gor) and my family is suffering back here (in Tanzania) financially,” Mapigano told Nation Sport from his base in Arusha.
He said that he has got interest from a number of clubs in Tanzania and other countries, adding that he will sign for any of them in case Gor Mahia fail to act.
“Yes I have been approached by some clubs but I am yet to make any commitment because I believe I will be paid my salary arrears. Should I decide to part ways with Gor, I will write a letter to the club terminating my contract,” he added.
“I love Gor and I have been patient because the club has no money but I have to move on if the situation doesn’t change,” he added.
The Tanzanian international congratulated his teammates on wining a fourth straight KPL title. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa on Thursday declared Gor Mahia champions after declaring the season over. Mwendwa also forwarded the name of the club to Caf for inclusion in the Caf Champions League draw for next season.
League managers Kenyan Premier League Limited, who indefinitely postponed the league due to coronavirus pandemic, with 10 matches to the end of the season, has however rubbished FKF’s declaration, insisting it will give a position on the fate of the league after May 15 when the 7pm to 5am curfew ends.
“If there is a law enabling us to lift the title the way they did, then it is okay. However, we would have loved to win the league on the pitch. We were not prepared to see it end this abruptly,” said Mapigano.
The imminent exit of Mapigano now leaves K’Ogalo with veteran Boniface Oluoch and Frederick Odhiambo as the only first team goalkeepers.
None of Gor Mahia’s officials were available for comment as their phones went unanswered.
Considering the predicament the players find themselves in now, i.e. having not been paid for several months, you would think officials would use this time off to restrategize how to stabilize the club financially. Instead the Chairman and other officials have gone hiding
Everybody is exploiting Gor Mahia brand as players suffer.
1) https://www.nation.co.ke › sports
Gor Mahia superfan Jaro Soja dives into face masks business – Daily Nation
2)Augmentin officials whose brand ambassador is Jaro Soja retain kes.200k as players suffer.
That all that we had and the remaining amount was registration fee from membership which according to our rule we cant give out, said Lusi.
Where has Augmenting officials taken/ invested the 200k as Gor players continue to suffer?
Crafty people are just exploiting Gor Mahia name/brand for personal benefit as players starve.
1) Jaro Soja selling GM branded face masks but gives nothing to players,
2) Augmentin withholds 200k from players claiming their rules don’t allow them to disburse registration fees.
3) Branches withhold 122k from players claiming they are raising money to repair the club bus which is a junk.
Without the Gor Mahia name none of the above would even attract a dime in donations, yet they sit back and watch the players suffer for 7 months without pay as they continue to ask for more contributions which they don’t pass on to players.
If Augmentin give the 200k and Branches give the 122k, will that solve 7 months salary?
How much have you contributed in any of those groups to be given to the players and they declined to deliver as intended?
322,000 from Augmentin and Branches would really mitigate, not solve, the suffering of players who have not been paid for 7 months.
If you factor in how much Gor Mahia brand is being exploited out there, apart from these 2 e.gs and the Jaros, then no wonder there is no solution to the 7 month salary problem.
It was Augmentin treasurer, a Bernard Lusi, who told Nairobi News in April, that A..tin wouldn’t pay some 200k+ it had collected in contributions because it was registration fee.
Now was Ag..tin formed to collect registration fees or to assist Gor Mahia players?
At least Jaro Soja doesn’t hide that he sells Gor branded face masks for personal gain.
Why include Gor Mahia name and pitch when you don’t give the players all the money raised?
Gor Mahia is being run like a kibanda
Why are you insulting Kibanda owners by comparing their business to the sorry Gor Mahia
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The article says the transfer fee was Ksh 40m. The club announced Ksh 14m. Which one is true? We don’t know because the club is not transparent.
Lets assume Ksh 14m is true. It was paid around August. Then how is it possible that a month later the club could not pay player salaries?
Mtu anijulishe hapo
Thanks admin for deleting my comment above. I was just so irked and lost my head with Ingo’ s comments. All is well.