Cecafa releases Kagame Cup draw, as FKF calls for delay

Sammy Meja

Mathare United's James Kinyanjui (left) vies for the ball with Tusker's Sammy Meja during their Football Kenya Federation Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds on July 20, 2021.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • In other groups of the regional tournament, guest team Nyasa Big Bullets from Malawi were placed in  Group C with Tanzanian record champions Yanga and Express from Uganda.
  • Defending champions KCCA from Uganda, Le Messenger (Burundi) and KMKM (Zanzibar) headline Group A.

Kenya's participation at this year's Cecafa Kagame Cup is in doubt after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) insisted that it has to finish the 2020/21 season first.

This is after Cecafa declined to push forward the competition to allow the Kenyan top flight league to end on August 21.

FKF had nominated Tusker to take part in the regional tourney, which will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from August 1 to 15.

In a draw held virtually on Tuesday, the eleven time Kenyan champions were paired up in Group B with Azam (Tanzania) and Albatara (South Sudan).

"We had asked Cecafa to postpone the tournament to a later date to allow us finish the league. They haven't replied to our letter and it would be very difficult to participate in the competition. We have to finish the league first and that is our official position," Otieno told Nation Sport.

Cecafa Secretary General Auka Gecheo confirmed that the tournament would go on as scheduled, but will be played behind closed doors to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

In other groups of the regional tournament, guest team Nyasa Big Bullets from Malawi were placed in  Group C with Tanzanian record champions Yanga and Express from Uganda.

Defending champions KCCA from Uganda, Le Messenger (Burundi) and KMKM (Zanzibar) headline Group A.