Speaking at the record-breaking seminar, attended by journalists from different parts of Africa and the world, Bayigamba also claimed sport has been "vital" in changing the image of a country ravaged by genocide in 1994, where more than 500,000 members of the Tutsi community were brutally murdered.

"The development of sports journalism is very important for the development of the Olympic Movement in Africa," he said when addressing the attendees.

"Journalism gives us a good platform and the chance to interact and exchange, and to help us continue our journey in Rwanda and in Africa."

Journalists from across the world took part in a sports journalists seminar at the The Africa International Sports Convention in Kigali ©CISA

The day began with an opening statement about the rise in journalism in the African nation, before Senegalese journalist and communications expert Aliou Golocko spoke on the necessity for African media outlets to implement diversity in their work in the ever-changing digital age.

This, however, was met with some opposition among the attendees as many African countries, such as Ethiopia, still lag behind others in terms of technology.

Fekrou Kidane, a former International Olympic Committee chief of staff now working as a senior adviser for the African Football Confederation, then gave a presentation, alongside French journalist Phillipe Zickgraf, on the need for honesty and ethical integrity.

The day was rounded off by a series of workshops in order to develop the skills of the journalists on topics such as reporting and the use of video and pictures.

The sports journalism seminar was the first event at the ninth edition of the CISA Convention, held in the Rwandan capital, and the conference continues tomorrow and is due to run through until Saturday (March 14).

insidethegames is an official media partner of CISA.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
February 2015: CISA set to include record-breaking sport's journalist seminar at Convention