LEONARD Nhamburo’s star continues to shine across the borders as the Zimbabwean-born mentor delivered the coveted Kwibuka Women’s T20 Cup in only his third year with the Rwandan Women’s national team on Saturday.
Rwanda faced their fancied Ugandan counterparts, who have long been the mainstay of East Africa ladies’ cricket since the paralysis of Kenya due to political interference.
The Kwibuka T20 Tournament commemorates the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. Members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu militias for about 100 days. The 2023 edition featured four teams; Kenya, Nigeria and the two finalists, Uganda and Rwanda. The hosts beat Uganda by six wickets.
Nhamburo, who jetted into the Rwandan 15-day lockdown to begin his reign as the ladies team head coach at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago, was excited to have delivered the trophy that had eluded the team for nine good years.
“I think it’s a good feeling that any team or any coach would want to have to win a tournament for the first time after a long time. It also shows the hard work behind the scenes to prepare a team for such a successful event,” Nhamburo told EnterSportNews.
“That is also something that I appreciate and embrace as a coach to say this is the hard work I have been doing with the team. Looking at how this team has progressed over the last two years I joined them, they have been going up. So, whatever we are doing, it’s something that we worked hard for, sat down and planned on how best to make our team stronger, and that is exactly what happened.
“I’m happy to be the first coach again to break the jinx and win this Kwibuka tournament. It’s a good feeling, and it shows the amount of work and the amount of energy that I put into the players and coming up with a team like that is actually something anyone would love to have. This is something that I can feel and understand. To me, it’s a lifetime achievement. Things like that don’t happen a lot in life in a coaching career, so I’m happy to be part of that history.”
Uganda fielded big names such as former captain Kevin Awino, a wicketkeeper batter, current skipper Consy Aweko, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Rita Musamali, Janet Mbabazi and Everlyne Anyipo among their crema de la crema.
But Rwanda, playing at home armed with sheer belief, determination saw them opt to field after their captain Bimenyimana Marie Diane won the toss. Uganda were bundled all out for 65 runs in their 20 overs, with Stephanie Nampina and Mbabazi top scoring with 19 and 13 runs, respectively. They succumbed to
Henriette Ishimwe’s pace and bounce as she claimed four wickets and six runs in her four overs. Pacer Immaculate Muhawenimana weighed in with two wickets.
Rwanda crossed the line for the loss of four wickets inside 16.1 overs, recording double digits scores from Merveille Uwase (17), Gisele Ishimwe (13), Alice Ikuzwe (12), and Henriette Ishimwe scored 10 not out. Uganda got their wickets from Phionah Egaru Kulume (2), Ariokat Malisa (1) and a runout by Mbabazi and Anyipo.
Rwanda became the first country in Sub- Saharan Africa to order a total shutdown in March 2021, but the lockdown went on for 45 days in Kigali. This, however, did not perturb Nhamburo, for he patiently waited for his moment in the sun to embark on a journey of belief with the Rwandan side.
“When I landed in Kigali, I was coming from a lockdown back home and fully understand that this is a precautionary measure meant to protect people from the Covid-19 pandemic. When it’s time to play, we will play hard, and when it’s time to work, we will work harder as well,” he told this publication while in lockdown then.
“Teams like these challenge you as a coach, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. It keeps me thinking about how to improve my work and the team, which is why I took up the post. It’s not easy, but that’s what entails our job as coaches.
“I have been following their domestic competition… they’re an up-and-coming nation. The biggest motivation is that they are serious about cricket development, and the executive is 100 per cent supportive.”
