No sponsor for Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup

Cecafa Secretary general, Nicholas Musonye during the 2012 launch of the Senior Challenge Cup

by MTN Football

The Council for East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) is in dilemma as they have not secured a sponsor for the 2013 Senior Challenge Cup.

East African Breweries Limited (EAB), through the popular brand, Tusker sponsored the championship for three years and the contract ended last year after the tournament in Uganda.

The regional tournament attracts all the national teams of Cecafa’s member nations. Guest sides like Ivory Coast, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have been invited before to spice up the event.

Nicholas Musonye, the Cecafa secretary general told MTNFootball.com on Wednesday morning that they will work out something early as the event approaches. ‘I cannot say what is really on the ground now,” said Musonye who could not confirm nor deny the state of dilemma the regional body is facing.

Without a sponsor guaranteed yet, Cecafa is also struggling to convince one of the member states to host the event. During last year’s General Assembly in Kampala, the members decided either Rwanda or Kenya host this year’s event if they secure local partners.

However, the Rwanda FA has already communicated to Cecafa that they will not be able to host this year’s event, but will instead host the Cecafa Kagame Club Championships next year and also the 2015 Senior Challenge Cup. “They will use the 2015 Challenge Cup to prepare on how they will host the 2016 CHAN competition,” Musonye explained about Rwanda.

In the last three years East African Breweries Limited has been injecting US$400,000 annually for the competition. However, the regional body has been trying to convince the region’s largest beer selling company to increase their package in-case they renew their contract.

Uganda Cranes are the defending champions of the Senior Challenge Cup after beating Kenya last year in the final at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.