Rwanda FA president Shema resigns amid integrity concerns

What the report says

Fabrice Shema Ngoga has resigned as president of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA), ending a 13-month stint at the helm of the national football body. According to Nile Post, he submitted his resignation on September 29, 2026, only days after a court approved a plea agreement in a case tied to bounced cheques and allegations of fraud.

In his letter to FERWAFA’s General Assembly, Shema said he was stepping aside because of an integrity issue connected to his personal life. He said the move was intended to protect the federation’s credibility, preserve public confidence and allow legal and institutional processes to continue without distraction. The article says the case was linked to his private business dealings, not his role at the federation.

Nile Post reported that a Rwandan court approved the plea deal on September 22. Under that agreement, Shema received a six-month prison sentence suspended for one year and was fined Rwf3 million. He was released after the ruling. The report says the proceedings had raised questions about whether he could remain eligible to lead FERWAFA.

Before the resignation, day-to-day operations had already been handed to acting president Claudine Gasarabwe, FERWAFA’s first vice-president in charge of administration and finance. Shema had been elected to a four-year term in August 2025, so his exit creates a leadership transition early in the executive committee’s mandate.