Ulinzi FC express Nile Basin tournament doubts

Ulinzi FC’s Chief Executive Officer, Major Joel Birgen, has said the SportsPesa Premier League (SPL) side may fail to represent the country at the Cecafa Nile Basin tournament even as the team continues training for the second-tier regional club event.

According to Birgen, the military side is yet to receive the nod from the Department of Defence days after submitting the invitation letter for the tournament courtesy of the regional governing body and Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

“There is this procedure whereby the letter has to be tabled to our headquarters, which we have already done. The invitation may face several challenges as it involves a budget, security among other technicalities. We are still waiting for their response,” Birgen told Citizen Digital.

If the team gets the approval, they will be making a comeback to regional football after a five-year absence when they lost 9-8 on post-match penalties to Sudan’s El-Merreikh in the 2011 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

“It’s a positive thing for Cecafa to give a chance to runners-up in member country’s top leagues to have a taste of regional football because they don’t get a chance to play in any CAF championship. We feel rewarded for our efforts and it is only fair that we get to represent our country,” he added.

Ulinzi have had a bright start to their SPL campaign and are tied fourth with surprise package, Posta Rangers – who ended their unbeaten streak on Sunday.

The soldiers have sustained the solid defending that saw them finish behind runaway unbeaten champions Gor Mahia last term having conceded the league-lowest four goals in eight matches.

The military giants have struggled to impose themselves regionally and will be hoping they can amend the run when the tournament kicks off on May 22.

Uganda’s Club SC Victoria University will be defending the title having defeated SPL rivals AFC Leopards 2-1 in the inaugural tournament’s final in 2014 also in Sudan.

TP Mazembe of CR Congo and Egyptian giants AL Ahly will be the two guest teams in the tournament.

Uganda’s most popular team Sports Club Villa, Tanzania’s moneybags Azam FC, Rwanda’s Rayon Sport, Ethiopia’s Coffee FC and Eritrea’s Red Sea will also battle out for the top honours alongside hosts Al Hilal.

The winner will walk away with Ksh3m in prize money, while the first runners-up and second runners-up will receive Ksh2m and Ksh1m.

Report by Paul Kimani