Cecafa inspects Sudan ahead of Kagame Cup

The Cecafa organising committee is set to make a final inspection of facilities in Sudan this weekend ahead of the Kagame Cup slated for June 30-July 12 in Khartoum.

Friday, June 19, 2009
Nicolas Musonye

The Cecafa organising committee is set to make a final inspection of facilities in Sudan this weekend ahead of the Kagame Cup slated for June 30-July 12 in Khartoum.

The body’s organising committee led by Secretary General Nicholas Musonye told Times Sport through an email that facilities in Khartoum and Port Sudan will be inspected ahead of next week’s kick off.

The visits by Musonye, sponsors and Sudan Football Association will ensure that teams and other delegations are accorded hospitable facilities during the event.

Meanwhile, the Marketing Director of El Merreikh Yousif Amin said, "We want to change the face of Cecafa/Kagame club competition. This is the beginning of a new era in Cecafa club cup competition. We are determined to do everything possible to organise a successful event,”

The Sponsors and SFA are planning an elaborate opening ceremony and already huge screens have been erected in Khartoum and Port Sudan promoting the competition that has been held annually since 1929.

The SFA and CECAFA are optimistic that event, the oldest in Africa will pass as one of the most contested and organised event after receiving a massive sponsorship from Sudan last month.

Cecafa comprising of eleven countries, Sudan Football Association and sponsors have lined up a list of high profile dignitaries within football and political establishment across the divide to grace the occasion on the opening day.

Twelve champion clubs namely Mathare United and Tusker (holders) both from Kenya, El Hilal and Hay Al Arab, KCC( Uganda), Prisons(Tanzania), Djibsat (Djibouti), Miembeni(Zanzibar), TP Mazembe(DRC), Atraco(Rwanda), Inter Stars(Burundi) and Benadir(Somalia) have been  divided in three groups - two groups in Khartoum and the third group in Port Sudan.

The Sponsors El Merreikh Group of Sudan have injected US 600,000 into the event and Rwanda President Paul Kagame, the Cecafa patron, has continued with his sponsorship of US 60,000 in Prize money which this year will be increased to US 100,000 following an additional US 40,000 from El Merreikh Group.

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