This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
December 18, 2019, Kampala, Uganda - Nicholas Musonye, the long-serving Secretary General of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA), has stepped down after 20 years in office.
Musonye's exit was confirmed at an Ordinary General Assembly in Kampala, Uganda, where he had indicated his intention to leave but had not specified a timeline.
At the assembly, Tanzania Football Federation's Wallace Karia was elected as the new CECAFA president, succeeding Mutassim Gaffar for a four-year term.
As part of the new leadership structure, CECAFA will have two deputies, Francis Amin of South Sudan and Essayas Jira of Ethiopia, in accordance with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations.
CECAFA's outgoing Secretary General, Nicholas Musonye, has pledged to ensure a smooth transition of power during his remaining time in office, with a Director General to be appointed through a competitive application process.
"I will be around to help the new office settle in well, because this is an important role that cannot be handled haphazardly," Musonye said.
Musonye's departure marks the beginning of his bid to become the next Governor of Kakamega County in 2022, a position he believes will allow him to utilize his football administration expertise to benefit his community.
"I leave CECAFA a very proud man, the only CAF zone able to run many competitions in a year despite all the challenges," Musonye said, reflecting on his tenure.
He also cautioned the incoming leadership against the dangers of sabotage by "backward-minded federation leaders," emphasizing the importance of goodwill and stability from member associations for CECAFA's continued growth.
The General Assembly also announced that the next CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup will be staged in Sudan.
