Starlets to miss CECAFA date
National women’s team Harambee Starlets will have to endure the pain of failing to defend the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Senior Challenge Cup when the event is held from May 22 to June 5 in Uganda.
Starlets are the reigning women's football queens in the region following their 2019 conquest of hosts Tanzania with utility striker Jentrix Shikangwa grabbing a brace to hand Kenya her maiden title.
The tournament has been on hold for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Considered the best team in the region, Harambee Starlets could have posed the biggest threat in the championships and following their absence, pundits feel that hosts Uganda and neighbouring Tanzania will be the favourites for the title. Starlets’ first agony came in February this year when they forfeited the Africa Cup of Nations second round qualifier match against Uganda following the sanctions meted on Kenya by world football governing body, Fifa.
Women extravaganza
Besides hosting the Cecafa senior women extravaganza, Uganda got another privilege as they shall host the inaugural zone qualifiers for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Pan Africa Schools Cup mid this year. However, Kenya’s side has been included in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw where they are set to meet Cameroon, Namibia and Burundi in Group C.
But there are strings attached for Kenya to feature in the qualifiers - Fifa has demanded that Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed reinstate the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) led by Nick Mwendwa and scrap the Normalization Committee forthwith.
The national men’s team Harambee Stars will also be ineligible to play in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup at the end of the year and whose date and hosts shall be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, Tanzania will host the Cecafa Under 23 and the Kagame Cup which is reserved for men club league champions in the region.
Elsewhere, the draw for the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2022 has been conducted.
Champions
Cecafa affiliate Burundi has been placed in Group C alongside 11-time champions Nigeria, South Africa and Botswana.
CECAFA’s second representative Uganda were placed in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Uganda will play their opening match against Senegal on July 3rd, while Burundi will take to the field the next day against Botswana.
While Burundi will be making their first appearance in the tournament, Uganda will be returning for the first time in 22 years.
The tournament to feature twelve teams is slated for July 2-23 in Morocco.
