The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) officials have welcomed the recent Zonal Unions tactical workshop held in Cairo, Egypt.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the workshop that took place May 29-30th at the Movenpick Media City Hotel attracted over 40 members from all the six Zones in Africa.

Auka John Gecheo, the CECAFA Executive Director said the workshop that brought together all Zones under one room was very fruitful and insightful. ” This is the first time did was done and hopefully this is the beginning of greater things in the Zone, ” added Gecheo.

The CECAFA Competitions Manager, Yusuf Mossi also made it clear that having this kind of workshop for the first time was clear testimony of better things to come. ” We are definitely moving forward if we can have such a workshop with all Zones discussing to map out strategies, ” added Mossi.

Jean Sseninde, the Women’s Football Development manager said the workshop was very insightful and helped all members continue educating themselves as they work for the further progress and development of Football.

The two-day tactical Workshop focused on practical steps that will lead to accelerated development and stronger cooperation between CAF and the Zonal Unions.

Sarah Mukuna, CAF Director of Member Associations thanked all the staff of the six Zones for attending the workshop which is a part of the commitment made by CAF Leadership under the President Dr. Patrice Motsepe to strengthen the Zonal Unions and also enhance capacity through knowledge exchange.

The other staff from the CECAFA secretariat who attended the workshop include; Andrew Oryada (Marketing and Communications Manager), Baraka Kizuguto (Football Development Manager), Deocratias Meso (Finance Manager), Ali Ahmed (Head of Referees department) and CECAFA Administaror Veronica Lusichi.

Tanzania’s Eng. Hersi Ally Said has been elected the first chairman of the African Clubs Association (ACA).

Said, also President of Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC was elected on Thursday during the official launch of the new body held at the Marriot Mena House in Cairo, Egypt.

”  I appreciate the effort by the President of the Confederation of African Football Patrice Motsepe to have this body African Clubs Association. It is a platform which will help us try to find solutions to problems affecting us as Clubs, ” said Said.

Jessica Motaung who is also an official of Kaizer Chiefs FC in the South African Premier League was elected first Vice chairperson, while Akwa United FC’s (Nigeria) Paul Bassey is the second Vice chairman. The new body also had 15 Board members with it’s headquarters to be established in Nairobi, Kenya.

Among some of the objectives of the African Clubs Association include; to protect and promote the interest of African Football Clubs, to ensure that African Football Clubs are commercially viable, globally competitive and profitable, to ensure that referees, match  commissioners and VAR operators are respected, to build partnerships with sponsors, the private sector and Governments to build stadiums that comply with CAF and FIFA standards and other football infrastructure and facilities in each of the 54 CAF Member Associations among others.

Besides the different Club chairmen from around Africa, the launch of the new body was also attended by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, CAF third and fourth Vice Presidents Souleiman Hassan Waberi and Seidou Mbombo Njoya respectively. The CAF general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba also attended.

The President of the Confederation of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe has said they will review all competitions to verify which ones are still viable or not.

Dr. Motsepe said this during a Press conference head at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Saturday before the kick-off of the inuagural African Football League (AFL).

« We will review all CAF competitions because we can’t have many. The problem is that African clubs lose a lot of money by participating in some of these competitions, ” said Dr. Motsepe.

He re-emphasized that African competitions needs to be made attractive with lots of money. “The African Football League is going to showcase the very best in Africa and we ant players to be paid good money, ” explained the CAF President.

Dr. Motsepe went ahead to explain that since football is a short career, it is always good that the African players can earn good money and be able to invest some of it for the future.  ” Part of my role is to lay the foundation and the people who will take over from me takeover from there, ” he added.

He also made it clear that he was happy the African Football League was kicking off in Tanzania, East Africa with two matches. Dr. Motsepe stated that with the coming of the AFL the future of African football will not be the same again because it is going to positively impact on many other competitions.

Dr. Motsepe also pointed out the aspect of making African football very attractive so that sponsors can easily come in. ” I can only request for more money if the quality of African Football justifies it, ” reasoned Dr. Motsepe who also added that we should not expect sponsors to partner with you if you don’t have a great preposition.

The CAF President also said he is looking forward to the 2027 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) coming to East Africa in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

_{The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe has urged CECAFA members to work together to bring about football development in the region and Africa as a whole.}

_{Dr. Motsepe said this on Thursday during his meeting with the executive committee members of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) and stakeholders at the headquarters in Mengo.}

_{“Keep together in the CECAFA region. The success of African football depends in the success of each of the members in the continent,” added Dr. Motsepe who arrived in Uganda on Thursday for a two day official visit.}

_{On behalf of CECAFA, the President who is also the President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Wallace Karia thanked Dr. Motsepe for sparing time to visit some CECAFA members including Uganda.}

_{“We thank the CAF President for visiting members in the region. We shall work hard as CECAFA to make sure that we bring about football development,” said Karia.}

_{Dr. Motsepe also thanked the government of Uganda for the support they continue to give football in the country. He made it clear that the good results of Ugandan football speaks a lot about the good leadership of the Federation under Moses Hassim Magogo, also an executive Committee member of CAF.}

_{Magogo, the FUFA President thanked the CAF President for visiting Uganda. Dr. Motsepe and some members of the FUFA executive were  expected to meet the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among and the Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni later on Friday.}

_{Dr. Motsepe who started his visit to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda will today travel to Seychelles and later Algeria.}