Musonye assures teams of security ahead of Cecafa U-20 tourney

What you need to know:

  • The matches will be staged in the resort town of Jinja next to the River Nile, and in Gulu, northern Uganda, some 350km from the capital Kampala
  • Kenyan forward Musa Masika says the team does not fear 'anyone'
  • Kenya coach Stanley Okumbi has also picked Wazito's Joshua Nyatini and Kariobangi Sharks keeper Brian Bwire for this assignment

Council of East and Central Africa (Cecafa) secretary-general Nicholas Musonye has assured all competing teams at the upcoming U-20 Challenge Cup in Uganda of their safety.

Kenya is among eleven teams from the region which have confirmed participation in this regional age-group tournament set to begin on September 21.

The tournament will be staged in the resort town of Jinja next to the River Nile, and in Gulu, northern Uganda, some 350km from the capital Kampala.

Northern Uganda has a history of security concerns and just this past week, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni witnessed the signing of a historic peace deal towards the joint development of the marginalised Turkana-Pokot-Karamoja region along the border of the two countries.

"There is a lot of peace in Gulu, take my word. We know what we are doing," said Musonye.

"This tournament, we are planning it together with my colleagues in the region and the government. We want to not only promoting talent but also take football to the grassroots. There are several people in Gulu and Jinja who want to watch football, you wait and see the crowds," he added.

And in a related development, Kenyan forward Musa Masika says the team does not fear 'anyone'.

"We will respect all the teams but there is no reason to fear anyone. The target is to try and emulate the senior national team by winning the tournament," explained the skilful Masika, a younger sibling to Harambee Stars forward Ayub Timbe.

Kenya coach Stanley Okumbi has also picked Wazito's Joshua Nyatini and Kariobangi Sharks keeper Brian Bwire for this assignment.

Group A: Uganda, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti

Group B: Kenya, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Group C: Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia

Squad

Goalkeepers

Brian Bwire (Kariobangi Sharks), Bixente Otieno (Wazito)

Defenders
Alphonce Otieno (Gor Mahia), Collins Shichenje (AFC Leopards), Boniface Onyango (Kariobangi Sharks), Alvin Ochieng (Kisumu All-Stars), Brian Wepo (Nzoia Sugar), Boniface Mwangemi (Dagoretti High School), John Otieno (Kakamega Homeboyz), Tom Teka (Kariobangi Sharks), Levian Ochieng (Nairobi Stima)

Midfielders

Joshua Nyatini (Wazito), Fidel Origa (Western Stima), Musa Masika (Wazito), John Njuguna (Ulinzi Stars), Peter Oudo (Kariobangi Sharks), Austin Ochieng (AFC Leopards), Alvin Mang’eni (Nairobi Stima), Steve Otieno (Kisumu All-Stars), Chris Owino (FC Talanta), Enock Wanyama (Ligi Ndogo), Erick Kinuthia (KCB), Tonny Kegode (Gor Mahia Youth)

Forwards

Sydney Lokale (Kariobangi Sharks), Abraham Dawo (Kenya Police), Benson Omala (Western Stima), Ronald Shichenje (Aspire Academy), Kevinton Machika (Kariobangi Sharks)