The Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) representatives Uganda and Tanzania are ready to represent the Zone well during the CAF African Schools Football Championship continental finals in Zanzibar.

Fourteen Schools will battle in the finals when the Championship, the second edition takes center stage May 21-24th at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.

The two CECAFA Zonal champions for the boys and girls from Uganda, and the two from Tanzania as hosts are expected to carry the Zonal flag high infront of the local fans who will be welcoming a big CAF Championship for the first time.

Trevor Mubiru, the Uganda Boys team captain told Cecafaonline that they are determined to give their best to be able to win the continental trophy. ” We know it will be very tough in Zanzibar, but we are well prepared for the challenge, ” said Mubiru.

After the draw conducted by CAF Legends, Jean Sseninde (Uganda) and Nigeria’s Daniel Amokachi on Sunday, Uganda’s boys team is placed in Pool A alongside Tanzania and Senegal.

Tanzania’s girls is placed in Group A together with Morocco and Congo Republic, while Uganda will tussle it out in Group B alongside South Africa, Togo and The Gambia. Shadia Nabirye, the Uganda girls team captain says they are ready for the challenge in Zanzibar.

The winners of both the Boys’ and Girls’ competition will each receive USD 300 000 prize money, runners-up each receiving USD 200 000, while the bronze medalists will each take home USD 150 000, courtesy of CAF’s partnership with the Motsepe Foundation to be utilised for development projects within schools.

Girls Groups

Group A: Tanzania, Morocco, Congo Republic

Group B: South Africa, Togo, The Gambia, Uganda

Boys Groups

Group A: Tanzania, Senegal, Uganda, 

Group B: South Africa, Benin, Guinea, Libya

Kenya’s Lindey Weey Atieno has said she is more motivated to keep working hard after scooping the Best Girls’ Player Award at the CAF Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers.

Uganda emerged winners in both the boys’ and girls’ categories at the climax of the Championship at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya on December 13^th, 2023.

But Atieno says although they lost to Uganda in the final, winning the best Player’s Award has motivated her to keep working hard. “The Award means a lot to me because it’s a good reminder that when you work hard you are able to achieve certain things as a footballer,” added Atieno.

She made it clear that playing five matches in the qualifiers was a very good test for her and the team because it gave them an opportunity to compete at a higher level. “The qualifier was very good because it was a good platform for us players and the Award has made me even keep pushing harder to become a professional footballer,” added Atieno.

Besides Ateino, Uganda’s duo of Huda Ayikeru and Shadia Nabirye also scooped the best goalkeeper and top scorer’s Awards in the girls’ category.

Achraf Kyakuwa from Uganda was voted best player for the boys’ category, while Abraham Nassor (Tanzania) a was best goalkeeper and Simon Wanyama (Uganda) top scorer.

Fountain Gate Dodoma Secondary School are the champions (Girls category) of the 2022/2023 CAF African Schools Football Championship.

The in-form Tanzanian school defeated Ecole Omar IBN Khatab from Morocco 3-0 in the final played at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban, South Africa on Saturday afternoon.

It was the red hot forward Winifrida Gerald who netted a brace, while Irene Chitanda also got her name on the score sheet.

To reach the final Fountain Gate Dodoma Secondary School won their two matches in the group before they humbled Congo’s CSG De Mfilou 4-0 at the semi final stage. Scan Aid from The Gambia claimed third place.

“We are very happy that after hard work starting from the qualifiers in the Zone last year and now in South Africa we are the champions,” said a happy Winifrida Gerald who also won the top scorers goon with 11 goals.

In the Boys category Guinea’s C.S Ben Sekou Sylla defeated Clapham High School (South Africa) in penalties 5-4 after the two teams had tied 1-1 in full time. Malawi’s Salima Secondary School also managed to win bronze.

Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) graced the last day of the Championship and the Awards ceremony. “We are so proud of all the young boys and girls that have competed here, you are the future,” said Dr. Motsepe.

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, all CAF Vice-Presidents, SAFA President Dr. Danny Jordaan and COSAFA President Artur de Almeida e Silva, as well as football leaders from across and legends also attended.

The winning teams each receive US$300,000, the runners-up US$ 200,000 and the third placed US$150,000 courtesy of the Motsepe Foundation that donated US$10-million in the inaugural championship.