RUBAVU-BASED club Etincelles will represent Rwanda at the inaugural Cecafa Nile Basin Winners Cup tournament, which kicks off on May 22 in Sudan, according to Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa). 

AS Kigali who were the automatic choice to represent the country decided not to take part in the event and set their focus on this year’s Peace Cup competition campaign. 

Cecafa has also invited Egypt, who though a member of the unofficial gathering of Nile Basin States, is not a member of Cecafa. 

Arab Contractors SC, three-time winners of the Africa Cup Winners Cup, will be leading the Egyptian campaign, backed by Al Masry, twice semi-finalists in the Caf Cup Winners Cup and Caf Confed Cup. 

The tournament is run by Cecafa with financial backing of Sudan Football Association [SFA] and the Sudan Government. It will take place in three cities in Sudan from May 20 to June 6. 

All the 16 teams had confirmed they will take part, according to Cecafa officials. Cecafa will fly the teams to Sudan accommodate them and offer local transportation and also award prize money to the top finishers. 

Other clubs confirmed for the tournament include; Mbeya City (Tanzania), Police (Zanzibar), Elman (Somalia), Dikhil (Djibouti), Flambeau de l’Est (Burundi), SC Victoria University (Uganda), Defence (Ethiopia), Malakia (South Sudan), AFC Leopards (Kenya) and Sudanese quartet of Al Mereikh Al Fasher, Al Mereikh Khartoum, Ahly Shandy and Hey Al Arab.