Top striker Demise Zenaf Senaf Wakuma has vowed to lead the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) WFC team to perform well when they make their debut in the continental CAF Women’s Champions League 2024 stage.

Last week Wakuma emerged top scorer with six goals as she helped CBE beat Kenya Police Bullets WFC in the final 1-0 to win the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers 2024 that concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“I am very happy that I emerged top scorer and helped my team win the Cup. We made history and now the focus will be to lead the team at the African Women’s Champions League stage,” Wakuma told Cecafa online.com

She explained that after previously reaching two finals of the Zonal qualifiers, they decided to keep working hard to try and win the trophy to qualify for the big stage. “Now we are champions and the focus will now have to be on performing well when we play against champions from other Zones,” she added.

CBE WFC will be the fourth team to represent the CECAFA Zone at the CAF Women’s Champions league big stage after Vihiga Queens in 2021, Simba Queens in 2022 and JKT Queens last year.

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia WFC are the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifier 2024.

After losing at the final twice, coach Birhanu Gizaw Heye’s team this time made it count when they defeated Kenya Police Bullets 1-0 in the final played at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

The tournament’s top scorer Senaf Wakuma Zenaf Demise netted the lone goal after 79 minutes after her team had dominated play from kick-off. The Kenyan side who were making their debut in the tournament resorted to a defensive approach as the CBE team piled more and more pressure.

The pressure paid off for the home side with several passes exchanged before Zenaf Demise placed the ball past Kenya Police Bullets goalkeeper Annedy Kundu Kwamasi.

It was all celebrations after the final whistle as the home fans celebrated CBE’s win. In 2021 CBE lost in the final to Vihiga Queens of Kenya, and last year suffered another defeat to Tanzania’s JKT Queens in the final played in Uganda.

“I am very happy that finally we have lifted this trophy in-front of our fans in Addis Ababa. I thank the players and the management of the team for the hard work,” said a happy coach Heye after the match.

The goal scorer Zenaf Demise who finished with six goals said she was very happy that she scored many goals that helped her team win the Cup. “We are very happy and we shall celebrate this trophy for a long time,” added the striker.

In the earlier play-off match to determine which team finishes third Kawempe Muslim Ladies defeated 2022 champions Simba Queens (Tanzania) 2-0. Sumayah Nabuto and Agnes Nabukenya netted the goals.

The final was graced by Souleiman Hassan Waberi, the third Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CAF Exco member and Ethiopia Football Federation President Isayas Jira, the CECAFA President and also President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Wallace Karia. The Burundi Football Federation president Alexandre Muyenge, Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) President Moses Hassim Magogo, Football Kenya Federation Vice President and CECAFA Exco member Doris Petra, and CAF head of Women’s Football, Meskerem Tadesse Goshime was also in attendance.

The tournament attracted eight teams from Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Djibouti, South Sudan, Kenya and Rwanda.

Awards

Fair-Play trophy – Simba Queens (Tanzania)

Best Coach – Beldine Odembe (Kenya Police Bullets, Kenya)

Best Goalkeeper – Annedy Kundu (Kenya Police Bullets, Kenya)

Top scorer – Demise Zenaf Senaf Wakuma (CBE, Ethiopia)

Best Player – Mesay Temesgen Tanga (CBE, Ethiopia)

The third Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Souleiman Hassan Waberi has praised the Zonal body of CECAFA for holding the first ever Women’s Executive Leadership Workshop.

Waberi was the chief guest at the official closing ceremony of the Workshop that concluded today at the Shitaye Suite Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“CAF is committed to supporting initiatives like this Workshop, which provide women with the tools and knowledge to take on leadership roles. We will continue to work closely with CECAFA and other Zonal Unions and other stakeholders to ensure that the momentum generated here is sustained and that the progress we have made is built upon,” added Waberi.

Meskerem Tadesse Goshime, the head of Women’s Football at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) also thanked CECAFA for organising the workshop. “We need to work together and change women’s Football together,” added Goshime.

The Vice President of the Football Kenya Federation and also CECAFA Exco member representing Women, Doris Petra said it was an important milestone to have the workshop because capacity building is very important. “All participants will be able to educate other women and share knowledge,” added Petra.

Wallace Karia, the CECAFA President and President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) thanked CAF for the support and Ethiopia Football Federation for hosting the Workshop. Isayas Jira, a CAF Exco member and President of the Ethiopia Football Federation said they were glad to host the Workshop and believe it will help in the development of Women’s Football.

On behalf of Jacqueline Leonard Kamwamu, a participant from Tanzania thanked CECAFA for oraginsing a workshop for Women Football leaders. “We are like butterflies and now we have started flying,” added Kamwamu.

The Workshop held on the sidelines of the on-going CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifier 2024, the Workshop has attracted 22 participants from 11 of the 12 Member Associations in the Zone.

The CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zonal qualifiers come to a climax on Thursday afternoon with the final pitting Commercial Bank of Ethiopia WFC against new comers Kenya Police Bullets FC.

But first will be the playoff match between Kawempe Muslim Ladies (Uganda) and Simba Queens from Tanzania at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Interestingly all the four teams in action on the final Day faced-off in the group stages with CBE stopping Kenya Police Bullets 2-1, while Simba Queens also edged Kawempe Muslim Ladies 3-0.

Coach Birhanu Gizaw Heye’s team walk into the pitch more than hungry not to suffer defeat in their third final, while Beldine Odemba will be hungry to see her youthful side re-write history of winning the title on their first attempt and becoming a second Kenya side to bag it.

“This is a very important final for us because we are playing at home. We need to be very organized and make sure we take our chances,” says the CBE coach.

But Odemba maintains that although her team struggled a bit in the group stage, they have now settled after players’ mentality was handled. “We are ready for the final,” she added.

The home side will look to their leading scorer with five goals Sinaf Wakuma Zenaf Demise and Aregesh Kalsa Tadesse to lead the attack, while the Kenyan side will hope that Rebecca Akinyi Okwaro with two goals in the tournament so far and Purity Alukwe Anyetu also find their touch infront of goal.

To reach the final Kenya Police Bullets silenced the 2022 champions Simba Queens 3-2, while CBE defeated Kawempe Moslem Ladies 2-1.

The regional qualifier which kicked off on August 17^th attracted eight teams; CBE WFC (Ethiopia), Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya), Yei Joint Stars WFC (South Sudan),  Rayon Sports Women FC (Rwanda), Simba Queens SC (Tanzania), Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC (Uganda), PVP Buyenzi (Burundi) and FAD FC (Djibouti).