Ten elite teams have already registered for the upcoming volleyball tournament, co-organized by the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and Rwanda Volleyball Association as part of the 2023 Taxpayers Appreciation Month celebrations. 

This will be the third edition of the competition, which was inaugurated in 2021. The theme for this year's celebrations is "Request For EBM Receipt to Build Rwanda."

RRA has been actively promoting volleyball as it is home to a renowned women's team, recent winner of the Rwanda volleyball championship for the 11th time, and has contributed more than half of the players to the national team that secured fourth place in the 2023 Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship held in  Cameroon.

Uwitonze Jean Paulin, Assistant Commissioner for Taxpayer Services and Communication, stated in a press conference held on Wednesday November 08, 2023 that appreciating taxpayers is of utmost importance, as their contributions significantly fund key national development projects, including those in the sports sector.

Among these projects are the BK Arena, already in use and set to host this tournament, and the new Amahoro Stadium currently under construction.

"The theme for this year serves as a reminder of the significance of consistently requesting for EBM receipts if we wish to contribute to our country's development, particularly in the realm of sports. We are all aware that the primary resources for constructing these infrastructures are derived from taxes," he emphasized.

When an EBM receipt is issued, the buyer can be assured that his contribution will be properly declared and paid. Sellers are obligated to provide these receipts, accurately reflecting the quantity sold.

Uwitonze commended RRA's efforts in sports development, noting that their volleyball team, after five years, has returned to the pinnacle of the game and is contributing significantly to the national team.

"As the RRA women Volleyball Club president, I hope we can win this tournament, despite being the organizers. We aspire to emerge victorious," he added.

He called upon the general public to attend the tournament in large numbers, as the entrance is free of charge. The competition will showcase the current state of Rwandan volleyball.

Raphael Ngarambe, President of the Rwanda Volleyball Federation, expressed appreciation for RRA's support and hopes to expand the competition to the district level.

"We are in discussions with RRA to explore ways to start the competition at the grassroots level, including schools and districts. We aim to promote tax compliance and also share the message to recognize the best taxpayers," he said.

He indicated that this is feasible as many districts now have gymnasiums, and there are plans to increase their numbers.

Ntawangundi Dominique, the national volleyball team head coach who is coordinating this tournament preparations, revealed that 10 teams have registered so far. The five men’s team are Gisagara, APR, Police, Kepler College and East African University Rwanda. There are also five teams in women category namely; RRA, APR, Police, IPRC Kigali and Ruhango Volleyball Club.

The tournament's format will be announced on Thursday, November 9th, and the first round is scheduled for Saturday, November 11, with the finals taking place on Sunday, November 12, 2023.

In the inaugural men's edition, Gisagara VC emerged victorious by defeating APR VC, while RRA secured the women's title by defeating APR. In the last edition of  2022, REG claimed the men's championship, and APR clinched the women's title.

This tournament will not only crown the champions but also recognize the best players in all positions on the field and the most performing player of the competition.

The Grand event of the 2023 Taxpayers Appreciation Day, originally scheduled for November 10, 2023, has been postponed to a yet-to-be-announced date due to conflicting national priorities.