CECAFA suspends Kenyan coach Kimanzi for two matches in Challenge Cup

Kenya’s head coach Francis Kimanzi has been suspended for two games at the on-going 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, Uganda. In a communication dated December 8^th, the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) said Kimanzi is suspended for un-sporting behavior.

On Sunday Kimanzi led the Harambee Stars to a 1-0win over arch-rivals Tanzania in a Group B match at the StarTimes Stadium.

But after the match the organizing Committee of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in a meeting chaired by the Secretary General, Nicholas Musonye decided to suspend Kimanzi for unsporting behavior and warned the other Kenya team officials.

“Mr Kimanzi is suspended from the technical bench for two consecutive matches of this tournament and should not appear anywhere in the stadium while serving the punishment,” said the communication dated December 8th. The assistant coach Zedekiah Otieno has also been warned for his unprofessional behavior together with the other members of Kenya’s technical bench.

The organizing Committee of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup pointed out that the Kenyan technical bench led by Kimanzi protested the position of the match officials and chased away the 4th official Mohamad Guedi from the dressing room. “The same technical team mobilized the players not to play the match by locking them inside the room over accusation that three Tanzanian players had no valid passports,” added the letter.

The technical bench also broke the door lock during the protest that delayed the kick off of this match for over 10 minutes. “Through out this nasty show, your officials did not comply with Article 15(1) of the rules and regulations of this tournament,” added the letter.

Kimanzi will now miss Kenya’s next two games against Sudan and Zanzibar. The 43-year old Kimanzi took charge of the Harambee Stars in August replacing Frenchman Sebastien Migne.