In a classic example of national investment frustrations meeting consistent fan disappointment, Paul Kagame, Rwandan President, could not contain his resentful feelings for Arsenal Football Club’s unrelenting association with top-flight football embarrassment. Following Arsenal’s shellacking at the hands of Brentford a recently promoted club, Kagame couldn’t keep mum after the 2-nil shocking defeat and took to venting on the ‘bird’ app. Perhaps it is due to the simple fact that he was dismayed by his team’s humiliating loss, which of course every other Arsenal fan attests to, from a club side that had missed out of EPL for 74 years, or other reasons that cut across the national interest. The latter seems quite the case.
If you watch football well enough you would have noticed that Arsenal’s jersey’s left sleeve features, “Visit Rwanda” (surely Arsenal fans wouldn’t miss that). Well back in 2018, Arsenal and Rwanda signed a sponsorship deal to drive the African country’s tourism sector. Fast forward to 2021, Arsenal and Rwanda renewed that deal which is reportedly valued at 30million pounds. Now you can wrap your mind around that huge sum and wonder what Kagame would have been thinking when Arsenal lost to Brentford. The Gunners’ left sleeve might be the last thing any potential tourist is worrying about. Not surprisingly, the Rwandan President dished out these heated comments.
