Published by the government of Zimbabwe
6 November 2009
Harare — ZIMBABWE'S Warriors have been invited to play in the Confederation of East and Central African Football Associations Senior Challenge Cup in Kenya this month following their triumph in the Cosafa Cup tournament held here.
Cecafa officials have requested that Cosafa send one representative to the football showcase of nations in east and central Africa and the Warriors, by virtue of being the champions of Southern Africa, have been given first option.
The Warriors beat Zambia 3-1 at Rufaro on Sunday to win the 2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup before a capacity crowd.
Zimbabwe used to play in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup before, winning the tournament on home soil in 1985 after a 2-0 win over Kenya, but then moved out of that zone following the creation of Cosafa which takes care of the interests of teams in Southern Africa.
The Cranes of Uganda are the defending Cecafa Cup champions following their triumph last year when they beat the Harambee Stars of Kenya 1-0 in the final.
Kenya will host this year's tournament from November 28 to December 13 and matches will be played in Nairobi and Mumias.
Cosafa Chief Operations Officer, Sue Doestombes, wrote to Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya advising her of the invitation from Cecafa and their decision to give the Warriors the first option to take up the offer.
"I have had a request from Cecafa to invite one of our teams to participate in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup later this month and I have proposed that Zimbabwe participate as you are our new zonal champions," wrote Doestombes.
"The question from Cecafa is the affordability of airfares to Nairobi.
"Please let me know whether you would like to participate and can raise the funds for the airfares from Harare to Nairobi (return) for your delegation so that I can advise Cecafa accordingly."
Rushwaya yesterday said she could not commit the Warriors to the tournament without getting the greenlight from both the Zifa board and the Government.
"The Zifa board first has to make a decision about whether the Warriors should go there or not and then there is also the issue of the Government who need to make the relevant clearances," said Rushwaya.
"There is also the issue of the funding of the trip and that is where the Government also comes in and therefore there is no way that I can make a decision without all the protocols having been exhausted.
"Then there is also the issue related to our domestic league programme, which is coming to the end, and which was disturbed when we hosted the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup.
"We will need to sit down with our colleagues who are running the Premiership programme and see if this tournament doesn't disrupt their programme and how best all that can be managed."
Cecafa traditionally invites at least one nation from outside the group to take part in the tournament.
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