Sports

EABL boosts Senior Challenge Cup

CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Musonye

EAST African Breweries Limited (EABL) has committed USD 450,000 (about 720,000,000/-) towards sponsoring this year’s CECAFA Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup scheduled to kick in November in Kampala, Uganda.

According to EABL (U) Marketing Director, Lemmy Mutahi, the decision to bankroll the region’s most prestigious annual tournament was taken with an ultimate aim of catapulting East African teams to the 2014 World Cup.

He revealed that as sponsors they were happy to have the tournament hosted in Kampala. This year’s figure shows a 5% increase compared to last year’s release.

CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Musonye who flew to Kampala on Monday attended the well organized event and revealed that the sponsorship package would cover the teams’ accommodation and air travels among others.

He said a total of USD 60,000 will go towards prize money with the winners taking $30,000 $20,000 for the runners up and $10,000 for the third-placed team. Musonye said CECAFA has set November 24 as the kick-off date of the region showpiece now winding up its fourth decade since inauguration.

The tournament will run through December 8, with all matches beamed live on Super Sport. The Sponsors (EABL) confirmed their long time engagement with Cecafa and praised the regional body for organizing excellent 2010/2011 tournament in Tanzania. Uganda (FUFA) have already formed a Local Organizing Committee to start preparations.

The closing ceremony was attended by FUFA officials and the LOC and the top management of Uganda Breweries who have been mandated by EABL to sponsor the event in Uganda. Uganda’s State Minister for Sports Charles Bakabulindi pledged to support Cecafa and FUFA in organizing a successful event.

The championship competed by twelve CECAFA member countries has been moved to Uganda from Kenya, which was originally set to host the event. Musonye said they have had to make the change after the tournament sponsors EABL made the request.

"The sponsors raised their concern over the organizational abilities of Football Kenyan Federation," he explained. "The sponsor has the final obligation to make their decision where they want the tournament to be held. It's Uganda and that is their stand."

"We have received entry confirmations from all the (twelve) Cecafa teams and there is a possibility of having several guest sides from Southern Africa as well." But Kenya and South Sudan, who are set to take part in the tournament for the first time, have criticised the switch of venue.

"We, as a new member of the regional body were informed initially that Kenya were the hosts," Ghabur Goc Alei, the South Sudan Football Association president was quoted as saying recently. "We shall lobby other member countries of Cecafa to ensure decisions made at the Congress are respected."

Uganda are the reigning champions and the most successful of the 12 members of Cecafa having won the Senior Challenge Cup 12 times.