Rwanda loses bid to host Senior Challenge Cup

THE Ministry of Sports and Culture has bowed out of the race to host the 31st edition of the Cecafa Tusker Senior Challenge Cup. This means the tournament will be taken to Nairobi, Kenya later this year.The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and Culture, Edward Kalisa confirmed the development to Times Sport yesterday. “Kenya’s bid was more advanced than ours and since they were the first ones to declare interest in hosting the event, we had no option,” Kalisa said.The decision to award hosting rights to Kenya was reached during the Caf Congress held in Marrakech last month.Kenya was involved in a tussle with the regional body last year after Cecafa allegedly switched the hosting rights to traditional rivals Uganda who eventually emerged winners after beating Stars 2-1 in the final.Kenya has managed to win the title five times becoming the second country to lift the titles more times after Uganda which has a record 13 times.The last time the country hosted the tournament, Uganda Cranes had the last laugh as they managed to beat Rwanda 2-0 courtesy of goals from Emmanuel Okwi and Dan Wagaluka.The competition will be used as build up to African Cup of Nations qualifiers that kick off next year.