Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has played down fears of insecurity in the troubled Darfur region in western Sudan, that will be hosting the 2013 CECAFA Club Championships starting June 18, this year.
TFF Secretary General, Angetile Osiah
Darfur has been devastated by civil war since 2003 but a peace agreement, a reduction in fighting and the limited but promising return of displaced people to their homes has been seen as signs of progress and hope.
Tanzania is expected to send three teams including two-time defending champions Young Africans, former champions Simba and Zanzibar’s Super Falcon.
Young Africans, in particular, have written to the TFF, expressing concerns over what the club believes a state of insecurity in Darfur, which has faced a guerrilla civil war since February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took up arms.
TFF Secretary General Angetile Osiah, however, has allayed the fears of the newly-crowned Mainland Champions, saying relative peace is reigning, one of the reasons CECAFA bosses have approved of the area to host this year’s competition. He said Sudan as host country has assured them of safety.
“I want to assure Yanga that there is no security threat in the region, they wouldn’t be allowed to host the tournament if there was a state of insecurity,” Osiah commented. He urged the country’s representatives to embark on strong preparations, insisting that everything will be alright.
CECAFA opted to take the tournament to Darfur with a view to help the region in the development and implementation of various growth projects and staging the show here successfully will be proof of some stability.
The draws for the 39th Edition of the CECAFA club championship was conducted in Khartoum, Sudan, last week with other Mainland representatives Simba due to face debutants Mereikh El-Fasher in their opening match on June 21.
Holders Yanga, who will be trying to win their third title in a row, have been drawn in group C alongside Express from Uganda, Ports of Djibouti and Burundi champions Vitalo. Record winners Simba, with six titles, will compete in group A, against three-time winners, Rwanda’s APR, Elman of Somalia and hosts Mereikh El-Fasher.
Zanzibar envoys Super Falcon earned a relatively tougher draw, pitted against three home teams, namely; Al-Hilal, Al Nasir (South Sudan), Al Ahly Shandi as well as Kenyan champions Tusker in a five-team group B.
Source Tanzania Daily News
