Carine Kanimba, a survivor of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and daughter of Paul Rusesabagina, the man whose story inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, has accused the Rwandan government of using football sponsorships and global branding to conceal human rights violations, censorship, and intimidation within the country.
She pointed out that through major partnerships with clubs like Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Atlético Madrid, Rwanda projects a glamorous international image under its “Visit Rwanda” campaign while suppressing opposition voices and tightening its grip on power.
“When governments can buy fame through football, it takes away the pressure for internal reform. Human rights abuses get ignored when the money is big enough,” Kanimba said.
“Football is meant for the people, it shouldn’t be used to cover up the crimes of dictatorships,” she added.
Kanimba urged sports leaders, clubs, and sponsors to look beyond the shining sponsorship banners and ask who truly benefits and who gets silenced in the process.
Her remarks were made during a session titled “Football’s Geopolitical Game: Are We Heading Towards a New World Order?”
