The national football league champions Atraco have asked the local football federation, Ferwafa to allow suspended striker Abedi Mulenda feature in this year’s Kagame Club Championships slated for June 28-July 11 in Kampala, Uganda.

Mulenda was banned by Ferwafa before the start of this season for breaching the law by signing for two local clubs during the January transfer window.

The Rwandan international, who was still contracted to Atraco, penned a one-year deal with rivals Rayon Sport forcing Ferwafa to suspend him for a year.

Initially, the local season was scheduled to climax on June 28 but was later shifted to July 18-19 to pave way for the preparations of the Amavubi team in the on-going 2010 world/Africa Nations’ Cup qualifiers.

Atraco vice president Issa Ngenzi told Times Sport yesterday that they have contacted Ferwafa to allow Mulenda feature in the championship but Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa insists that Mulenda will not be allowed to engage in any competition before serving his punishment.

"If the league has been extended, that means that the season has not ended. He is therefore not allowed to feature in any competition even in Kagame Cup competition,” Kalisa said.

Atraco will be Rwanda’s only representative in the two-week competition while Uganda will field Kampala City Council (KCC). Young Africans will represent Tanzania Mainland, while Miembeni will hoist Zanzibar’s flag.

Kenya’s Tusker is the defending champions after beating Uganda’s URA in last year’s final. Other Cecafa member-countries expected to take part in the tournament are Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who is very passionate about sports and football in particular, has been supporting the annual championship for the last six years to a tune of $60,000 each year towards prize money.

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