Table of Contents
- Arsenal Visit Rwanda sponsorship is brewing controversy
- Rwanda’s involvement in the political instability rocking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) triggered the campaign for Arsenal’s Visit Rwanda sponsorship cancellation deal
- It’s accused of funding M23 rebels
Arsenal Visit Rwanda sponsorship is brewing controversy following calls by some Gunners to the club asking it not to continue the sponsorship.
The fans under the Gunners for Peace banner are hard into a campaign dissuading the Premier League club from renewing the sponsorship with Rwanda.
They are urging the club to overlook financial gains from the deal and let another club step in to sponsor. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) of Ligue 1 and Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) are other European clubs sponsoring Visit Rwanda.
Why the Push for Arsenal Visit Rwanda Sponsorship Cancellation?
Rwanda’s involvement in the political instability rocking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) triggered the campaign for Arsenal Visit Rwanda sponsorship cancellation deal.
According to the Gunners for Peace campaigners, having the club sponsor Rwanda while it is involved in the DRC’s war paints a bad image for Emirates. The sponsorship is up for renewal in 2025.
Rwanda has come under fire following allegations that it armed M23 rebels and offered military support to the rebel group.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame with Arsenal player David Luis during the signing of Visit Rwanda Sponsorship by Arsenal. Photo/France 24
M23 has brought chaos and disrupted lives in eastern DRC. The US government and the United Nations have subtly linked Rwanda to sponsoring chaos in the DRC for selfish gains.
At least 7000 people have lost their lives since January when M23 rebels unleashed violence in the eastern Congo. The Paul Kagame-led Rwandan government has denied claims of arming the rebels.
Joe Mbu, an outspoken Gunners for Peace member, said that a random poll showed that a majority of fans are calling for the termination of Arsenal Visit Rwanda sponsorship.
Out of every 10 fans polled, six are pro-Visit Rwanda sponsorship cancellation. Mbu explained that some people are now tearing apart the ‘Visit Rwanda’ part of the Arsenal jersey.
Tresor Kudabika told BBC Sport Africa that Arsenal is losing its popularity in the DRC because of Rwanda’s dalliance with M23.
Kudabika painted a grim picture of a club under siege as it emerged during its quarter-final clashes with Real Madrid. A majority of Arsenal fans in DRC supported Real in both legs of the quarter-final.
What is Visit Rwanda?
Arsenal signed a sponsorship deal with the Rwanda Development Board in 2018 to promote it [Rwanda] as a top African tourist destination.
Sleeve Sponsorship for Arsenal. Photo/The Southern African
The deal is estimated to be worth at least $13.3 million every year. It involves sleeve sponsorship, whereby, a logo for ‘Visit Rwanda’ appears on Arsenal shirts’ left sleeve for all teams – youth academy, men and women teams.
Further, the Gunners staff and players participate in tourist promotional activities, showing Rwanda’s beauty. Besides tourism, Arsenal coaches, under the Arsenal Visit Rwanda sponsorship, hold training camps in Kigali to nurture and support local football talent.
PSG renewed their Visit Rwanda sponsorship deal up to 2028. The French club turned a deaf ear to calls not to renew the sponsorship with Rwanda.
There was an online petition with 75,000 signatures supporting the campaign to terminate Visit Rwanda sponsorship when PSG renewed the deal.
Gunners for Peace are hopeful that Arsenal will listen to their cry and terminate its sponsorship deal with Rwanda.
“I believe that they can do the right thing. The good thing about it is that we have been in communication with representatives from Arsenal…For Arsenal to continue with the sponsorship would be a great shame,” Mbu told BBC Sport Africa.
