Odindo Ayieko
15 June 2011
Nairobi — Ulinzi Stars’ Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Club Championship opening match has been pushed to June 27 to enable the soldiers play in the Kenyan Premier League Top Eight final against Western Stima two days earlier.
Cecafa secretary-general Nicholas Musonye said on Wednesday 13 teams from all members states have confirmed participation in the 37th edition of the regional club contest from June 25 in Tanzania.
The hosts will field two teams, same as Rwanda, home of defending champions APR.
Initially set for Zanzibar, the tournament was shifted to Sudan for lack of finances and enough venues and moved again due to fighting in Abyei.
Tanzanian sponsor
“You know Sudan is still shaky. The North and South still have issues to resolve and there have been disagreements over the Abyei region, which is threatening to become volatile,” said Musonye.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has sponsored the event to the tune of $60,000 in prize money and El Mereikh Limited, owners of Sudan’s El Mereikh Football Club, donated $150,000 but Musonye said talks are at an advanced stage to secure a Tanzanian sponsor.
“[President] Kagame has been very loyal in supporting us. But we want to look beyond that; we need a corporate sponsor for more stability.”
Clubs in Cecafa Cup
Ulinzi Stars (Kenya), APR (Rwanda), El Mereikh, St George (Ethiopia), Simba (Tanzania), Yanga (Tanzania), Ocean Boys (Zanzibar), El Man (Somalia), Vital’O (Burundi), Red Sea (Eritrea) Bunamwaya (Uganda), Port of Djibouti,; Guests: Liberty Professionals (Ghana), Al Ahly (Egypt).
AllAfrica – All the Time
Originally posted here:
Ulinzi’s Cecafa Tie Postponed Over Top Eight Final