Lieutenant General Mubarakh Muganga, the chairman of local giants APR, has poured cold water on suggestions that the club would backtrack on its policy of only using home-grown players.
Critics say the policy, which has been in force since 2013, has made APR weak in regional and continental competitions, but club officials have maintained it gives Rwandan players a chance to shine.
While presiding over a ceremony to unveil new players ahead of the season, Muganga emphasised that APR will not sign any foreign players during his administration.
“Before dropping that policy (of not recruiting foreign players), I will step down early,” said Muganga, who is also the Army Chief of Staff.
“Non-Rwandan players will not come back to APR during my chairmanship.”
Despite dismal results on the continent, however, APR has continued the local scene having clinched seven league titles, two Peace Cups and two Super Cups in the last ten years.
APR management has tasked Moroccan head coach, Adil Mohamed Erradi, to guide the club to the group stage of the 2022/23 Caf Champions League, a feat that no other Rwandan side has ever achieved.
The army side will kick off their Champions League campaign against Tunisia’s US Monastir on the weekend of September 9-11.