KAMPALA - The Council for East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) has praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame for his great effort in developing the standards of football in the region.

"Mr Kagame is really a great man and we are proud of him as Cecafa,” said the association’s Secretary General Nicholas Musonye during an exclusive interview with Times Sport.

Musonye said had it not been for the Rwanda President who is so passionate about football and sports in general, football events in the region would still be lagging behind.

He said because of President’s initiative to support Cecafa for the last five years, it had attracted and brought in other sponsors.

"As the spokesperson of the regional body, I do congratulate the Rwanda President for his supporting hand which helped us at the time we were going down. He did lift our profile and helped attract other sponsors like Sheikh Alamoudi of Ethiopia, Tanzania Breweries (sponsors of the Tusker Cup) and GTV,” said Musonye.

Mr Musonye said the Rwandan President has exhibited that he is a true sportsman with a kind heart.

"Because of Mr Kagame’s efforts in developing football in the region and in his country in particular, it has helped the region realise the dream of hosting the CAF U-20 championship that takes place in Kigali between January 18 to February 2,” added Musonye.

The Secretary General also noted that competition standards in the region have tremendously improved right from the junior to the senior levels.

He said qualification of three teams in the region, Kenya, Rwanda and Sudan for the next round of the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifying campaign is testimony enough to prove that standards have improved in the Cecafa region.

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