The Chilly weathers,beautiful scenaries and clean environment with accesible roads is the norm jere in Rwanda.Leave alone the National Cleaning day that is done in every last Saturday of the month.

I set my luggage and got ready for the more than 100kilometres journey by road to Butane where Ivory Coast was to play Cameroon in the second quarterfinal matches

A drive by the CAF Media bus from the Capital Kigali to Huye was so enjoyable.The 133 kilometre journey that started off from 2pm local time was characterised by scenes of the beauty of this hilly nation,a fete that is rare to find back home in Kenya.

With the bus on the right side unlike Kenya i was forced to use signs when communicating as the bus occupants were journalists mostly from west Africa speaking French.Injad only Aisha and David Isabiriye,jojrnalists from Kawowo sports in Uganda as my only acquintance.

Heading to Huye i had to pass towns like Muhanga,Gitarama,Ruhango ,Rusatire and lastly Huye with the road texture only comparable to that of the Thika Super highway

I reach Huye and what a stadium,the size of Moi in Kisumu but with more stands compared to Kisumu.

We get to the stadium and with CAF rules more strict to Media,you need a ssparate media card to get into some places,your accreditation card is only needed for gate entrance.

i get into the stadium,sit down as i prepare my tools for the west African derby in Rwandese soil.

Apparently many Rwandese opted to sing to the Ivorian tunes and am left wandering that such a small town could attract close to 6000 fans.

The match begin with Ivorian dominating the first half and Cameroon coming out strongly in the second half. It ends in stalemate and extra time is played. ivorians score three goals and carry the day

The match ends and Rwandese supporters join Ivorian in celebration as we head to the press conference, later we head to the Ivorian residential hotel, The Galileo hotel where we find the players dancing and enjoying music. We join them then we leave for Kigali at 9pm5 reaching the capital at 11pm.

What a journey!

Austin Oduor

talking African football