CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Musonye hails the successful tournament in Garowe Puntland in Somalia.

The successful conclusion of a football tournament in Somalia bodes well with efforts to usher in a climate of peace in the country.
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) General Secretary Micholas Musonye hails this landmark achievement as a step towards changing the way the Somali youth live their lives.
This contest attracted 15 teams to Garowe, the capital of Puntland. Eventually Mogadishu’s Banadir FC piped Bossaso’s Bari 1-0 to lift the trophy last weekend. This is the first tournament held in Somalia since 1987.
“CECAFA’s vision is to play our bit in using football as a means of laying a foundation and build a culture of good governance and order in Somalia. Our consistent encouragement and support to the Somali is beginning to bear fruits,” says Musonye.
“Even at the height of armed conflict we have accommodated Somali clubs and national teams in all CECAFA championships. Our objective is to get more Somali youths away from the conflict which they have known all their lives,” Musonye revealed.
He went on “In 2006, we were in Mogadishu and witnessed the enthusiasm with which the youth played football. Our message all these years is geared towards getting them to lay down their arms. With the end of armed conflict normal civilian life can be restored,” the CECAFA chief explained.
“Ushering in a climate of stability in Somalia is crucial for not just Somalia but for the entire CECAFA region. We look forwards to the day we can host one of our annual CECAFA tournaments in Somalia,” Musonye declared.

Tanzania Mainland’s Kilimanjaro Stars are the new Council of East and Central Africa Football Association Tusker Senior Challenge Cup Champions.
Playing in front of a passionate crowd of 60,000 home fans, they piped guest side Cote d’Ivoire by a solitary goal in the final played in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on Sunday.
It has taken the Kilimanjaro Stars 16 years to get their hands round the trophy they last won in 1994.Tanzania.
Prior to the final defending champions salvaged some nationals pride when they pipe Ethiopia 4-3 in the bronze medal play-off.

Ethiopia and guests Cote d’Ivoire clash in semi final action at the  Council of East and Central Africa (CECAFA) Tusker Senior Challenge Cup in Dar es Salaam Tanzania today Friday.
This tie will give way to the hugely anticipated showdown between defending champions Uganda hosts Tanzanian Mainland.
The curtains come down on the two week contest with the finals on Sunday. It will be preceeded by the bronze medal playoff.

Tanzania Mainland and defending champions Uganda qualified for the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CEFAFA) Senior Challenge Cup semi finals in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on Wednesday.
The hosts laboured through driving rain to squeeze a slender 1-0 victory over Rwanda. Earlier on Uganda needed a penalty shoot out to subdue Zanzibar 5-3 after the teams were deadlocked 2-all at the end of open play.
Consequently, Uganda and Tanzania Mainland join Ethiopia and Cote d’Ivoire in the CECAFA Tusker Challenge Cup semi finals tomorrow Friday.

Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia qualified for the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Tusker Senior Challenge Cup semi finals in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The Ivorians piped fellow guest side Malawi 1-0 while Ethiopia edged guests Zambia 2-1 in the day’s earlier fixture. Today Wednesday, Zanzibar challenge the defending champions Uganda before hosts Tanzania Mainland play Rwanda.
In a separate development, the CECAFA Tusker Senior Challenge Cup received a cash boost of 130,000 US dollars from mobile communications company Vodacom on Tuesday. CECAFA General Secretary Nicholas Musonye says the cash injection is a huge boost in their effort to reduce the deficit in running the competition. He says the 450,000 dollars from East African Breweries has gone into air tickets and accommodation for teams and officials, local transport, and prize money.