This archive report was first published on 30 June 2019.
Kenyan football fans are in for a thrilling experience as Gor Mahia and Bandari take on the best teams in East and Central Africa at the 2019 Cecafa Kagame Cup in Rwanda. The tournament, which is the oldest football competition in Africa, will be held in Kigali, Huye, and Rubavu towns starting this weekend.
According to Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye, all the serious teams are coming to the tournament, which will provide them with the best possible preparations ahead of their respective continental assignments.
Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, who are on the verge of signing Rwanda international Djabel Imanishimwe from Rayon Sport, will be based in Gisenyi and will face Congolese club DC Motema Pembe in their first match at the 5000-seater Umuguda stadium.
Gor coach Hassan Oktay will have to do without the services of five of his first-teamers, 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 that the Dockers are about to lose their 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.
Winners of the tournament will pocket Sh3 million, while beaten finalists and the third-placed teams will take home Sh2 million and Sh1 million respectively.
The tournament fixtures are as follows:
- 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)
