Kenya Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia and Shield Cup winners Bandari will be chasing for the Council For East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) titles set for next weekend in Rwanda.
Following the release of the tournament’s fixture today, Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye, the tournament will contain 16 teams.
Defending champions Azam from Tanzania, Rwandan champs Rayon Sport, and five-time African champions Tout Puissant (TP) Mazembe have confirmed attendance.
Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, who are on the verge of signing Rwanda international Djabel Imanishimwe from Rayon Sport, will be based in Gisenyi and ahead of the first match against Congolese club DC Motema Pembe at the 5000-seater Umuguda stadium
Gor coach Hassan Oktay will have to do without the services of five of his first-teamers namely Francis Kahata, Philemon Otieno, Francis Mustafa and Joash Onyango, who are competing at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Bandari, meanwhile, will play Ugandan champions KCCA in their opening match at the Huye stadium, amid reports the Dockers, who just returned from a week-long pre-season camp in South Africa, are about to lose the first-choice goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo to Tanzanian giants Yanga.
“We are in talks with Yanga and we will not stand in the player’s way,” confirmed Bandari’s chief executive Edward Oduor.
“Either way, we have quality goalkeepers namely Mustafa Oduor, Michael Wanyika, and Ali Matano.”
Winners will pocket Sh3 million, whilst beaten finalists and the third-placed teams will take home Sh2 million and Sh1 million respectively.
Group stage draw
Group A: Rayon Sports (Rwa), TP Mazembe (DRC), KMC (Tan), Atlabara (S. Sudan)
Group B: Azam (Tan), Mukura (Rwa), Bandari (Ken) and KCCA (Ug)
Group C: APR (Rwa), Green Buffaloes (Zam), Proline (Ug) and Heegan (Som)
Group D: Gor Mahia (Ken), DC Motema Pembe (DRC), KMKM (Zan), and AS Ports (Dji).
Source: Daily Nation