The federation boss reveals to Goal why they have settled for Tusker to represent Kenya in the regional club competition
Football Kenya Federation has come out to clarify why Tusker and not Gor Mahia will represent Kenya in the upcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament in Tanzania.
On Friday, Cecafa confirmed ten teams had already confirmed participation in the regional competition to be held between August 1-15 but conspicuously missing from the list were the current Kenyan champions Gor Mahia.
While Gor Mahia have now released a statement stating they will grace the competition, FKF President Nick Mwendwa has confirmed to Goal only Tusker have been cleared to represent the country.
What has been said?
“We are now playing a new Kagame Cup since the previous one was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, so the time Gor were to represent the country has been overtaken by events, and instead, Tusker will go for the competition,” Mwendwa told Goal on Friday.
“Cecafa wanted a name of the team to represent Kenya and we settled on Tusker because they are topping the 18-team table but we will also give an official statement to clarify on the same position soon.”
Mwendwa statement contradicting?
The latest statement by Mwendwa seems to have contradicted his earlier one when he told Goal on April 25, 2021, that Gor will represent the country in the competition in August.
“I have not said anything like that, crowning Gor Mahia if the current season is cancelled, we are not ready to cancel the season, what I know the league will be played to the end and we will have a rightful winner,” Mwendwa told Goal.
“It is unfortunate they have written what I did not say, they have just misquoted me, let me put it clearly on what I said, the league will be played to the end but by virtue of winning the same last season, Gor Mahia will be our flag bearers in the Kagame Cup set for August.
Gor Mahia insist they will participate
On Friday, Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier confirmed in a signed statement they will take part in the tournament.
"We would like to confirm our participation in the forthcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup 2021 tournament slated to kick off in Dar es Salaam next month,” read part of the statement obtained by Goal.
“We will soon send the official list of players and members of the technical bench who will make the trip to represent the country as has been directed by the federation, being the defending league champions.
"We look forward to receiving further details with regards to the kickoff dates, to enable us to make the necessary logistical preparations. We are thankful to the federation for the continued support and guidance.”
The teams that have confirmed participation in the 2021 edition are Young Africans SC, Azam FC (Tanzania), Atlabara FC (South Sudan), Le Messager Ngozi FC (Burundi), APR (Rwanda), Express FC, KCCA FC (Uganda), Tusker (Kenya), KMKM SC (Zanzibar), and Nyasa Big Bullets FC (Malawi).
The draw for the tournament will be conducted on Tuesday, July 27, and there will be two pools of four clubs each.
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