The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has condemned member associations for the lack of commitment to host regional tournaments.

A high ranking official at the CECAFA secretariat, who preferred not to be named, said, "Member associations should stop their usual petty politics, useless meetings, useless propaganda of undermining CECAFA and CAF leadership.”

The official was reacting to a story published by this paper regarding the possibility of playing the CECAFA Kagame Cup on a Champions League format.

He noted that, "I tried to convince our members five years ago that we play this event on a Champions League basis and as usual they just ignored it.”

"This year’s CECAFA competitions, precisely Kagame Cup, was sabotaged by four countries, namely; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and some others he called (hiding under the shadows),” he further alleged.

He added, "We got a big sponsor for Kagame Cup but some officials in these four countries went to sponsor and demanded some sponsorship by undermining CECAFA. The same officials have tried to organize a parallel tournament to undermine Kagame Cup in Tanzania but it will not take off.”

In May, Tanzania pulled out of hosting the 2016 Kagame Cup citing a busy international calendar, according to Tanzania Football Federation president, Jamal Malinzi, while Kenya also opted out of hosting the Senior Challenge Championship that was slated to kick off late November.

Kenya which last hosted the Challenge Cup in 2013, is preparing to stage the African Nations Championships (CHAN) in two years. CECAFA has now turned to Sudan to see if they can agree to have the event back in Khartoum.

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