Cecafa to introduce new tourney, says Musonye

Plans are afoot to introduce an elite football club championship in the region, Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye has said.

In a briefing to reporters at the organisation’s secretariat on Tuesday, the Cecafa boss said that the regional football body is exploring the possibility of introducing the competition — to be known as Cecafa Club Champions League — that will see the region’s top clubs battle for honours.

If realised, the competition will follow the model of Europe’s Uefa Champions League.

“This is a long term plan, it cannot be implemented today or next year, we need at least two years. We have to put logistics in place. It also requires a lot of resources and structures that must be put in place. We also have to look for sponsorship,” he said.

If successful, it will be Cecafa’s fourth baby following in the footsteps of the Senior Challenge Cup, Kagame Cup and the recently launched Nile Basin tournament.

At the same time, Rwanda is ready to host this year’s edition of the Cecafa Kagame Cup that is set to run from August 8-24 in the capital Kigali. A total of 15 clubs have confirmed participation.

The tournament’s referees will undergo medical tests on August 6 in Kigali, two days before the region’s elite clubs begin fighting for honours.

GOR TO REPRESENT KENYA

Gor Mahia will be flying Kenya’s flag in the competitions. K’Ogalo are pooled in Group B alongside APR (Rwanda), KCCA (Uganda), Flambeau Del’Est (Burundi) and Telecom (Djibouti).

(READ: Gor Mahia to seek revenge over APR in Cecafa tourney)

The Kenyan champions will open their campaign against KCCA on August 8 at the 30,000-seater Amahoro Stadium.

The government of Rwanda is sponsoring the two-week football extravaganza to the tune of Sh17.4million ($200,000) while Cecafa has pumped in a further Sh8.7million ($100,000).

Winners will pocket approximately Sh2.6million ($30,000), runners up Sh1.7milion ($ 20,000) and third place finishers Sh870, 000 ($10,000).