Orange to sponsor CECAFA Challenge Cup

Orange, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators, has stepped in to sponsor the regional CECAFA (Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations) Senior Challenge Cup, according to a CECAFA statement reaching here on Tuesday.

The council and the sponsors announced Tuesday morning in Nairobi a 175,000 U.S. dollars sponsorship deal for the event that will take place in two Kenyan towns of Nairobi and Mumias starting November 28 to December 13.

Announcing the sponsorship, Orange CEO Mickael Ghossein said a further amount will be spent in promoting and publicizing the two-week tournament. The event marks the first time in 15 years that the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is being held in Kenya.

Ghossein, who was flanked by CECAFA general secretary Nicholas Musonye, said the company had decided to sponsor the tournament as part of the drive to improve the standards of soccer and to give Kenya a chance to host the prominent championship.

The announcement comes in the wake of a recent move by the brand to sponsor the African Nations Cup, the African Champions League, the African Confederations Cup, the Super Cup, the African Nations Championship and the African Youth Championship for the next eight years.

The Kenya government recently announced an 80,000 dollars sponsorship of the tournament that brings together all the 11 CECAFA member teams plus Zambia's Chipolopolo, who will be playing as guests.

"Libya had wanted to come and take part, but we are yet to finalize on certain aspects," Musonye told Xinhua by phone.

The teams that have confirmed participation in the tournament include Tanzania, Sudan, Zanzibar, Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda, Djibouti, Zambia, hosts Kenya and defending champions Uganda.

Uganda won the 34th CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup on January 13 after a hard fought 1-0 victory over Harambee Stars of Kenya at Namboole Stadium in Kampala. This is the 10th CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup title Uganda has won.

Source: Xinhua