Rwanda: Why Free Agent Muhadjiri Prefers Short-Term Deal

10 December 2025
The New Times (Kigali)
By Eddie Nsabimana

Midfielder Muhadjiri Hakizimana says he will only accept a short-term contract for his next club, arguing that shorter deals help him stay focused and perform at his best.

The Rwanda international became a free agent in October after mutually parting ways with Police FC, ending a four-year spell at the club he joined in 2021.

"Wherever I play next, I won't sign for a club beyond six months, and that club will be happy because I perform well and seriously when I am on a short-term contract,"

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

he told Isibo Radio.

Hakizimana explained that extended contracts can sometimes lead to complacency.

"Most of the time, when you sign a contract of two years, you are not serious enough. But if you want to prove your worth, I think a one-year or six-month deal helps you,"

he added

.

The Rubavu-born midfielder revealed he has been taking a short break from football to focus on himself, but hinted that he could return to action during the January transfer window.

Hakizimana's career has been marked by both impressive achievements and challenging moments for club and country. In his prime, he featured for almost every major club in Rwanda--except Rayon Sports, whom he declined twice due to disagreements over sign-on fees.

He helped APR FC win several titles, including the 2017/18 league championship, a season in which he was also named Player of the Year. The 31-year-old additionally lifted Peace Cup trophies with AS Kigali and Police FC.

On the international stage, he made his Amavubi debut on November 3, 2016, during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and scored his first national team goal in a 1-1 draw against Ghana.

One of his standout moments came in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, when he scored two goals in each leg in back-to-back victories over Seychelles--one of the finest individual performances by a Rwandan player in recent qualifiers.

However, Hakizimana has not been selected for the national team since January 2024, when then-coach Frank Spittler dropped him from the squad.

Read the original article on New Times.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2025 The New Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.