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War-torn Darfur to Host 2013 CECAFA Championships

War-torn Darfur to Host 2013 CECAFA Championships
Bernadine Racoma

This coming June, Darfur in western Sudan will be the venue for the 2013 Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) championships.

CECAFA Secretary General, Nicholas Musonye is in Darfur, Sudan with CECAFA officials. He is currently inspecting the country’s facilities in order to evaluate the preparedness of the area for a major sporting event that has been scheduled on the 15th of June – the 2013 CECAFA football championships. Musonye had already said that he is optimistic the North Darfur State will be ready to host the regional club championship when the time comes. Musonye says that he is confident that Darfur will be ready.

Originally, the venue for the June event was Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. However, the capital was deemed not ready to host the event.

Adequate facilities

Two football stadiums have already been deemed satisfactory. These are Al Fashir-Al Nuggaa, which has a capacity of 15,000 and Al Fashir which can accommodate 45,000. Musonye said that the facilities are impressive in quality. He added that the transport facilities and hotel accommodations are up to par as well. Musonye said that Darfur is 90% ready. But he added that the local organizing committee would need to engage in a number of preparations so that they will be ready for the arrival of the various clubs. The league has a total of 12 members.

The media officer of CECAFA Rogers Mulindwa said in an interview that the two stadiums they have examined in Darfur are almost ready. And they will be all but fully equipped after three artificial turfs have been completely installed. Additional announcements are to be made on Tuesday with regard to the facilities and other relevant matters.

Torn by civil war

Observers are questioning whether or not it is safe to hold a major sporting event in the area. Darfur has been a conflict area for a long time, torn by a civil war that started in 2003. But change is apparent now that a peace agreement is in place to curb the violence that has characterized the area. There has been less fighting. And refugees are being promised to be returned to their homes. There is now hope for a beginning for those who have been victims of the many years of violence due to war.

The CECAFA has also received further encouragement from Darfur. Local officials have already expressed interest in co-hosting the football event. These are Asuman Mohammed Yusuf Kibir, the incumbent Governor of North Darfur and Ahamed Haroun, the Governor of the South Kordonfan State.

Competing teams

The defending champions are the Young Africans from Tanzania. They won the title after stiff competition from Azam FC. The 2012 final was held at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Of the many teams expected, the CECAFA reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo has already confirmed. But the team from Eritrea had not yet confirmed.

This year, football teams from the following countries are expected to participate in the event. These are Burundi, Djibouti, Elman, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

 

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