CECAFA
Cecafa Kagame Cup kicks off in Dar with news over Kenya’s Gor Mahia stealing the limelight
THE Cecafa Kagame Cup Club Championship opens in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday and as the football passionate country looked forward to the famous tournament, the biggest talking point was the possibility of Kenya being unrepresented as their champions and one of the region’s biggest clubs, Gor Mahia appeared set not to take part.
Apart from being a feared club in the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) region, Gor Mahia’s recent and current form easily makes them the envy of many. As defending Kenya champions, they are runaway leaders in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and are in the Group Stage competition of the CAF (Confederation of African Football) Confederation Cup.
At the Kagame Cup, Gor Mahia were slated to clash with fellow CAF Cup Group Stage opponents, Rayon Sports of Rwanda and Tanzania’s Young Africans. But Yanga, bedevilled by internal wrangles, loss of key players in the Tanzania’s transfer window and poor form in the domestic league pulled out. They sighted preparation of their impending CAF Cup clash with, incidentally, Gor Mahia on July 18 in Nairobi as the main reason of staying way form the Kagame Cup.
Then, just on Wednesday, it was the turn of the Gor Mahia camp to serve fears that they would not be coming to Tanzania. The club was facing a player revolt back in Kenya, a number of them laying down tools and refusing to take part in a KPL match in Kisumu, west of the country on Friday and inferring that travel to Tanzania would also be affected.
But the Kenyan newspaper, the ‘Daily Nation’ in its early editions on Thursday night reported that Gor Mahia would honour the Kagame Cup; the news reaching Dar es Salaam and excitement growing that fans would be able to watch Gor Mahia against the local city favourites Simba — the Tanzania Vodacom Premier League champions — Azam, the reigning Kagame Cup champions and Singida United the latest sensation challenging the Simba-Yanga-Azam hegemony.
From Nairobi, the “Nation’ quoted Gor Mahia chief executive officer Lordvick Aduda saying: “We are flying to Dar es Salaam on Friday night after our [KPL] league match [v Sony Sugar at Moi Stadium, Kisumu].”
He added: “The players’ reported strike was uncalled for. It’s a club policy that [unpaid winning] bonuses [the bone of contention and trigger of threatened strike] are paid on top of salaries. They [players] already pocketed Sh37,000 each for winning the SportPesa Super Cup and will receive the rest in the June pay,” he added.
The possible shape of the Gor Mahia team in Dar, however, was on top of excited discussion. More Gor players are reported Tanzania-bound on lucrative signings, following the sensational move of the Kenya club’s most influential forward, Rwanda international Meddie Kagere, to Simba.
Kagere’s reported demand of Sh5 million in order to sign on a new contract with Gor was met with a lower counter-offer by the club and a dangled Sh8 million by Tanzania champions, Simba that lured him to Dar es Salaam where he signed and is now the talk of town as a starter in Simba’s opening Kagame Cup opening match on Saturday against Dakadaha of Somalia.
Simba have also added to their strength former Yanga and Tanzania international goalie Deogratius ‘Dida’ Munishi from Pretoria University (South Africa) and former Azam, El Merreikh (Sudan) Cote d’Ivoire national, defender Pascal Wawa.
The tournament kicks off with two matches on Friday at the Azam [sports] Complex, Chamazi, JKU (Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi) of Zanzibar starting at 2pm against Uganda champions Vipers and at 4pm Kagame Cup holders Azam will be on familiar ground entertaining Kator of South Sudan. Then at 7pm at the National Stadium in Dar, Singida United clash with APR, a former Kagame Cup champion.
On Thursday evening at Peacock Hotel at downtown Dar es Salaam all teams that had arrived met for a pre-tournament briefing from the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Local Organising Committee and the Cecafa Organising Committee. Leodegar Tenga, a past Cecafa President and TFF boss Wallace Karia were among attendants to an address by the tournament director Ahmed Mgoyi and Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye.
“Everything is set, we’ve received all the funds for the competition and all teams, except Gor Mahia, are here,” said Musonye but before the end of the meeting announcing that Gor Mahia will be arriving in Dar on Friday night.
The tournament is laden with highly rated teams including Azam, Simba, Gor Mahia, Vipers, Rayon Sports and APR (Rwanda) and Singida although there are also ‘dark horses’ include Burundi champions Lydia Ludic.
Below are the fixtures:
-Additional reporti
Kenya’s Harambee Starlets have arrived in Ivory Coast ahead of two International friendly matches against Benin and the hosts.
Under head coach Beldine Odemba, the Harambee Starlets will face Benin on Monday, and conclude with a match against Ivory Coast on March 4th at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpé.
The two matches are will be used as build-ups ahead of the 2026 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) expected to take place in Morocco March 17th to April 3rd.
“We are glad that the team will play two build-up matches in Ivory Coast and later have time to camp in France,” said coach Odemba.
Ivory Coast are currently ranked 72nd in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, while Benin sit at 139. Kenya is currently placed 133rd.
Kenya and Tanzania are the two teams that qualified for the 2026 WAFCON. The Harambee Starlets are pooled in Group A alongside Morocco, Senegal and Algeria.
Final squad
Goalkeepers: Lilian Awuor, Annedy Kundu, Juliet Adhiambo
Defenders: Ruth Ingosi, Dorcas Shikobe, Enez Mango, Vivian Nasaka, Elizabeth Ochaka, Diana Ochol, Lorine Ilavonga, Elizabeth Muteshi
Midfielders: Lydia Akoth, Vidah Akeyo, Lorna Nyarinda, Fasila Adhiambo, Martha Amunyolet, Mwanalima Adam, Shaline Nambengele
Forwards: Violet Nanjala, Elizabeth Wambui, Jentrix Shikangwa, Shalyne Opisa, Airin Madalina, Valerie Nekesa, Eglay Mukhwana
The new President of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam has officially assumed office at the CECAFA headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
He was warmly received by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President, Hussein Mohamed.
Flanked by CECAFA Interim Executive Director Jean Sseninde and CECAFA Vice President Ali Abdi, Andermariam outlined his bold vision for a more revitalized and impactful CECAFA.
The new President said his mission centers on strengthening institutional structures, enhancing strategic partnerships – particularly with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports – and driving sustainable growth across the region.
Having earlier in the day met Ministry of Youth and Sports CS Elijah Mwangi, he revealed established and ongoing engagements between CECAFA and the Ministry aimed at establishing a permanent CECAFA Headquarters in Nairobi. This is deemed at enhancing CECAFA stability and regional influence.
He emphasized the need for more capacitated human resources to elevate the game, especially as the region—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania – prepares to co-host Africa’s biggest football tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations.
In his remarks, Hussein Mohamed welcomed the new President, pledging full support and collaboration to ensure CECAFA achieves its strategic objectives.
The event was attended by the CECAFA Vice-President and members of the CECAFA Secretariat, and former FKF Vice President Doris Petra. The new CECAFA President takes over from Alexandre Muyenge who served as the Acting President since late last year.
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) will have seven tournaments in the 2026 season.
The announcement was made during the CECAFA Elective General Assembly which took place on February 7th in Djibouti.
“We are glad that the competitions committee came up with a calendar and the Executive Committee passed it, and later it was presented to the Assembly,” said the newly elected CECAFA President Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam.
According to the calendar, the season will kick off with the CECAFA U-17 Girls Championship from May 30 to June 14th, 2026.
Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Manager also explained that after failing to host the inaugural CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship last year, the regional body is planning to have the tournament take place July 1-5th this year. “It is long overdue for the Zone to have a Beach Soccer tournament because other Zones like the COSAFA already have one,” added Mossi.
The Zone will also organize the club competition, the CECAFA Kagame Cup from July 18 to August 9th. The competition is normally used to prepare teams in the pre-season ahead of the start of the Confederation of Africa Football Associations (CAF) competitions.
The Zone will also organize the CAF Women’s Champions League for CECAFA qualifiers, African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers, CAF U-17 African Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers and CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers.
CECAFA 2026 competitions
# CECAFA U-17 Girls Championship (May 14-June 14th)
# CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship (July 1-5)
# CECAFA Kagame Cup (July 18 – August 9th)
# CAF Women’s Champions League – CECAFA Qualifiers
(August 22 – September 6th)
# CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA Qualifiers
(August 12-15th)
# U-17 AFCON – CECAFA Qualifiers (October 14-19th)
# U-20 AFCON – CECAFA Qualifiers
(September 19 – October 10th)
The media accreditation application window for media interested in covering the CECAFA Elective General Assembly has opened today and will run till February 2nd, 2026.
The CECAFA Elective General Assembly will take place on Saturday, 7th February 2026 in Djibouti.
Media interested in covering the Assembly will need to process their visas to Djibouti.
Successful applicants will be notified and provided with further information in due course.
-ENDS-
Further Enquiries:
CECAFA Communications
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