THE Council of Central and East African Football Association (Cecafa) has confirmed that they will pay cash prizes for the 33rd Orange Challenge Cup winners next week.

Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye told Times Sport Friday from Nairobi that they are arranging with sponsors French Telkom, Orange to pay the Challenge Cup winners before the end of the week.

"We will deposit the cash prizes for winners, Uganda, Rwanda and Zanzibar on their accounts. We have requested their accounts and our sponsor Orange will pay their funds next week,” Musonye said on phone.

Uganda asserted her authority in the region when the Cranes won back-to-back the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup after beating rivals Rwanda 2-0 in a thrilling final.

Amavubi Stars’ team was aiming at winning her second regional title following their maiden victory which last came in 1999 when Rwanda B won the title.

This was the fourth time that Amavubi Stars lost in the finals. The last three times occurred in 2003 when Rwanda lost 2-0 to Uganda in Khartoum, Rwanda lost to Ethiopia 1-0 in 2005 in Kigali, Rwanda lost to Sudan 4-2 on penalties after a 2-all draw in the finals held in Dar es Salaam.

However, the victory at Nyayo National Stadium saw Uganda win an historic 11 titles in 15 final appearances since the inception of the tournament in 1973.

The win also ensured Uganda took the top cash prize of $30,000 (Rwf17.4m). Rwanda won $20,000 (Rwf11.6m) while third-placed Zanzibar, winners of the title in 1995, edged Tanzania 1-0 in the classification match was took home $10,000 (Rwf5.8m).

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