Kigali to host Cecafa club and Challenge Cup champs

AL FASHER. THE Confederation of East and Central African Football-Cecafa has awarded Rwanda the hosting right of the 2014 Kagame Cup and 2015 Challenge Cup respectively.“It’s confirmed Kagame and Challenge Cup are coming to Rwanda. We want to organise the Kagame Cup in Rwanda next year and senior Challenge Cup in 2015 as a preparatory event for CHAN in 2016,” Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye told Times Sport on Tuesday.Rwanda hosted the Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament in 2004, 2007 and 2010 as well as the senior challenge cup in 1999 and 2005. Vital’O are the current Kagame Cup Champions after beating three-time champions APR 2-0 in an epic final on Monday night at the jam-packed El Fasher Stadium.The tournament famously known as Kagame Cup is bankrolled by President Paul Kagame, who injects US$60,000 for prize money since 2002.This year, Rwanda was meant to host the Challenge Cup but the Government later bowed out of the race to host the tournament hence paving the way for Kenya.The 2015 competition will be used as build up to Africa Nations Championship due to be held in Kigali in 2016.According Musonye, Rwanda has left no doubt that it has the personnel, infrastructure and ability to host major African tournaments.Until five years ago, Rwanda only had Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali to talk of. Nyamirambo Regional Stadium and Umuganda stadium were then refurbished for the U-20 finals in 2009.A 40-000 seater stadium is set to be constructed in Gahanga, Kicukiro District.Two new stadiums in Muhanga and Huye are also undergoing final touches to boost the country’s position as a possible host for major competitions.Rwanda has also improved on its hotel capacity with a couple of five-star hotels in place or coming up in both Kigali and Rubavu.

Sports

Kigali to host Cecafa club and Challenge Cup champs