Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup scheduled for Nov. 28

THE 2013 Cecafa Challenge Cup has been planned to kick off on November 28 to December 12 in Kenyan capital of Nairobi, according to the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations.

The regional body’s Secretary General Nicholas Musonye confirmed the development on Wednesday, saying that they have met with the Kenya FA and set the date for the annual competition, which brings together national sides in the region.

He said the Kenya FA have also confirmed their readiness to host the event, which will have Malawi as the only guest side.

During the Cecafa congress held in Kampala, Uganda, last year Rwanda and Kenya were picked as potential hosts. But the Rwanda FA opted to host next year’s event as a dress rehearsal for the 2016 CHAN competition.

The last time Kenya hosted the championship was in 2009 but attendances were depressingly low.

This year’s event will cost the Kenya Football Association an estimated KSh253m (Rwf1. 9 billion). The Kenya FA is yet to get a sponsor after a three-year deal with East African Breweries Limited (EABL) expired last year.

Former African champions Zambia, Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana have been invited as guest teams in the championships that brings together other nations from the East and Central Africa region-Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Burundi and Somali.

Uganda are the holders of the Senior Challenge. They beat Kenya 2-1 in the finals in Kampala last year.

Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup scheduled for Nov. 28